Dead meat. Scare tactics for income generation? Swine!
Frank A. Hilario
July 10, 2009
MANILA – Early yesterday morning, at about 0130 hours Thursday, 09 July, 2 tons of ´double-dead´ pork was found and seized near a market in Balintawak, Quezon City (Jeffrey G Damicog, mb.com.ph). The meat handlers had fled before the police and officials of the QC health department arrived. The meat had been chopped and packed in plastic, ready for buyers. Dr Rolando Marquez, Director of the National Meat Inspection Service Task Force Bantay said the sellers may have been warned (gmanews.tv).
Also about swine, in another news, scientists are worried that the Ebola-Reston virus, found in Philippine pigs in 1989, is spreading in this country; earlier in the first days of March this year, 6,000 head of swine were slaughtered in Bulacan because of the presence of the virus in the farm (Tan Ee Lyn, 10 July 2009, in.reuters.com):
Researchers are worried about a type of Ebola virus spreading in pigs in the Philippines and have warned that it could mutate in the swine population and become more dangerous for people.
In the Philippines, the Ebola researchers had tested 141 people, and 6 were found with antibodies to the Ebola-Reston virus, which indicated that they had been infected earlier (Tan as cited).
Remember that earlier, reports have implicated pigs as the source of the flu virus H1N1 (timesofindia.indiatimes.com). In fact, German experts are concerned how the H1N1 was developing in Australia and South America, that in fact ´the H1N1 swine flu virus had started to mutate and warned it could spread in the coming months in a more aggressive form´ (reuters.com). The WHO reports that there are H1N1 strains that are resistant to the drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) based on lab tests (08 July 2009, who.int).
In the meantime, there are 4 pharmaceutical firms in the Philippines manufacturing vaccines against H1N1 according to the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (Sheila Crisostomo, 10 July 2009, philstar.com). Dr Yolanda Oliveros, Director of the Department of Health´s National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, has said that ´according to the WHO, it seems there´s no mutation´ and that the resistance reported on Tamiflu may have been ´an isolated case´ (Crisostomo as cited).
All that news is now scaring people worldwide, thanks also to the repeated pandemic warnings of the WHO all over the world (who.int).
It´s time for Questions and Answers.
Why are unscrupulous people – swine! – selling spoiled pork that may or may not have the Ebola virus? Because there are unthinking buyers who like dead meat. You should be more scared about those swine.
Why are scientists and the WHO experts warning the people that those viruses may mutate and become deadlier? Because they believe that´s their duty. Truth to tell, the world has millions of bacteria and viruses that could conceivably mutate and become deadlier any time soon. Should we live our lives with that horrible thought?
I do believe the role of medical science is not to scare people but to protect them not only from illness but also from dishonest people who use the fear of illness as their income-generating activity. I don´t object to the poor becoming richer, or the rich becoming richer still, but not at the expense of either the poor or the ignorant. The message from the science of medicine must be wellness; the message from education must be understanding. Otherwise, the ignorant we shall always have with us.
Also about swine, in another news, scientists are worried that the Ebola-Reston virus, found in Philippine pigs in 1989, is spreading in this country; earlier in the first days of March this year, 6,000 head of swine were slaughtered in Bulacan because of the presence of the virus in the farm (Tan Ee Lyn, 10 July 2009, in.reuters.com):
Researchers are worried about a type of Ebola virus spreading in pigs in the Philippines and have warned that it could mutate in the swine population and become more dangerous for people.
In the Philippines, the Ebola researchers had tested 141 people, and 6 were found with antibodies to the Ebola-Reston virus, which indicated that they had been infected earlier (Tan as cited).
Remember that earlier, reports have implicated pigs as the source of the flu virus H1N1 (timesofindia.indiatimes.com). In fact, German experts are concerned how the H1N1 was developing in Australia and South America, that in fact ´the H1N1 swine flu virus had started to mutate and warned it could spread in the coming months in a more aggressive form´ (reuters.com). The WHO reports that there are H1N1 strains that are resistant to the drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) based on lab tests (08 July 2009, who.int).
In the meantime, there are 4 pharmaceutical firms in the Philippines manufacturing vaccines against H1N1 according to the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (Sheila Crisostomo, 10 July 2009, philstar.com). Dr Yolanda Oliveros, Director of the Department of Health´s National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, has said that ´according to the WHO, it seems there´s no mutation´ and that the resistance reported on Tamiflu may have been ´an isolated case´ (Crisostomo as cited).
All that news is now scaring people worldwide, thanks also to the repeated pandemic warnings of the WHO all over the world (who.int).
It´s time for Questions and Answers.
Why are unscrupulous people – swine! – selling spoiled pork that may or may not have the Ebola virus? Because there are unthinking buyers who like dead meat. You should be more scared about those swine.
Why are scientists and the WHO experts warning the people that those viruses may mutate and become deadlier? Because they believe that´s their duty. Truth to tell, the world has millions of bacteria and viruses that could conceivably mutate and become deadlier any time soon. Should we live our lives with that horrible thought?
I do believe the role of medical science is not to scare people but to protect them not only from illness but also from dishonest people who use the fear of illness as their income-generating activity. I don´t object to the poor becoming richer, or the rich becoming richer still, but not at the expense of either the poor or the ignorant. The message from the science of medicine must be wellness; the message from education must be understanding. Otherwise, the ignorant we shall always have with us.
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