FAO to use name of "influenza A/H1N1" instead of swine flu

　　世界卫生组织30日宣布，从当日起，该组织不再使用“猪流感”一词指代当前疫情，而开始使用“A（H1N1）型流感”一词。

　　Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations said on Thursday it agreed to use the name of "influenza A/H1N1" instead of "swine flu."

　　FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech said FAO, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) agreed to no longer refer to "swine flu" but instead to "Influenza A/H1N1."

　　"Given current facts and scientific understanding, consumption of pig meat does not bring any increased risk to the consumer," the FAO official said.

　　"Stepping up swine influenza control measures in pigs, in the absence of the A/H1N1 virus, such as control of movements and culling, is not justified," said Domenech.

　　The challenge for governments, with FAO assistance, is to review measures to be taken in the veterinary realm, despite the fact that "there is currently no evidence to suggest that the novel human-to-human transmitted A/H1N1 influenza virus is circulating in pigs" in Mexico or anywhere else in the world, he said.

　　However, the FAO official recommended that pig disease surveillance be reinforced in order to detect, identify and monitor any new event which could be related to this new A/H1N1 virus circulation in humans.

　　With WHO raising its pandemic alert level from four to five, the Rome-based UN agency urged world governments to take adequate precautionary measures against the newly found A/H1N1 virus and to prepare for the eventual case of a pandemic.

　　世卫组织当天在其网站上刊登的一条简短通告中说，从30日起，世卫组织将用“A（H1N1）型流感”一词来指代这种新的流感病毒。

　　世卫组织已多次表明，虽然这种新型病毒是由猪流感病毒演变而来，但到目前为止这种病毒只是使人患病，还没有发现猪被感染的病例。世卫组织还强调，食用充分烹制的猪肉或猪肉产品不会感染病毒。

　　世卫组织发言人汤普森对媒体说，之所以更改当前疫情的叫法，是因为“猪流感”一词容易误导消费者，农业界和联合国粮农组织已就此表达关切。