Minister of Health Chen Zhu stated that there have been no reported cases of human infection with swine flu in China, and that swine flu is preventable and treatable. He also suggested that stewing pork with star anise (commonly known as "大料") is an effective remedy against swine flu. The possibility of the swine flu outbreak spreading to China has not been ruled out.
"The current trend of the swine flu and the overall development of the epidemic are still unclear." At a press conference yesterday afternoon, Minister of Health Chen Zhu stated that this epidemic is caused by a new mutated strain of the swine flu virus. The general population is susceptible, and it has already spread across countries and continents. Mexico has reported a significant number of severe cases and deaths. Influenza patients can shed the virus one day before symptoms appear, and some infected individuals may not show symptoms but are still contagious. The rate of asymptomatic transmission is quite high, so the possibility of the epidemic spreading to our country cannot be ruled out. A rapid diagnostic method for swine flu has been successfully developed.
Chen Zhu announced a piece of good news at the conference: Thanks to the round-the-clock efforts of scientists from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, a specific and sensitive rapid diagnostic method was developed yesterday morning and can immediately be deployed in the network laboratory systems of the CDCs nationwide. Relevant departments have expanded the stockpile of effective antiviral drugs.
According to the information currently available to experts, this new strain of the swine flu virus is sensitive to neuraminidase inhibitor drugs, which are clinically effective. In recent years, to deal with cases of human avian influenza, effective antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu have been stockpiled. In response to the recent new outbreak, relevant State Council departments have taken measures to expand the stockpile of effective antiviral drugs. China has sufficient production capacity to achieve this.
"Swine flu actually has nothing to do with pigs." Vice Minister of Agriculture Gao Hongbin defended pork at the press conference. He stated that this swine flu outbreak has brought great injustice to China's live pigs. The virus detected so far is actually a mix of genetic fragments from avian flu, human flu, and swine flu viruses. None of the patients have had contact with live pigs, and this new mutated virus has not been isolated from pigs. Simply put, this time people are sick, but pigs are not; the disease is transmitted from person to person. Therefore, everyone can eat pork with confidence. So far, the Ministry of Agriculture has not isolated this virus from pigs, nor has there been any outbreak among them.
Chen Zhu also added that he had eaten two pork dishes for lunch at the Ministry of Health's cafeteria. He also mentioned that shikimic acid, the raw material for Tamiflu, an anti-swine flu drug, is mainly found in star anise. Therefore, cooking pork with star anise is definitely also an effective remedy against swine flu.
It is understood that the General Office of the State Council issued a notice to all regions and departments on April 28th to deploy the current prevention and control work. For example, it calls for strengthening inspections for human swine flu virus among entry and exit personnel at ports of entry and exit, especially at direct flight ports to and from the United States and Mexico such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. For passengers arriving from Mexico, including crew members, dedicated channels are to be set up for temperature checks, medical inspections, screening, and case handling. Their means of transportation, such as aircraft and ships, will be strictly disinfected. Hospitals for isolating and treating suspected cases and venues for medical observation of close contacts have been designated. Infrared temperature checks have been initiated at all ports nationwide, and the import of live pigs and their products from the epidemic areas of the United States and Mexico has been suspended.
Liu Pingjun, Vice Administrator of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China, stated that according to recent temperature monitoring data from ports nationwide, from April 25th to 29th, a total of 31 fever cases were detected at various ports in China, and no cases of human infection with swine flu have been reported.