According to a statement from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, swine from a herd in Alberta, Canada, have tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus currently causing illness in humans. A Canadian carpenter who had been in Mexico, upon return, was exhibiting flu-like symptoms. He works on an Alberta farm, and subsequently the family and swine on the farm became ill.

Some key points relative to this situation are:

• The virus has not been detected in any swine herds in the United States.
• This is not a foodborne illness, and our food supply will remain safe, even if U.S. swine are found to be infected later.
• There is no indication that the 2009 H1N1 virus has infected pets.

You can find extensive information about the virus on the AVMA website.

Other helpful resources:

Washington State Department of Health Swine flu information

The best sources of information for this disease in humans at this time are:

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

For general information on swine influenza, general health information guidelines, updates on the status of the human swine influenza outbreak, and travel advisories:

World Health Organization (WHO)

For those with additional concerns, consider:

The National Swine Flu Situation Page(tm)