Minnesota Pig Tests Positive for H1N1

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The federal government confirming that a Minnesota Pig has tested positive for the H1N1 virus, also known as the Swine Flu. But despite the name this is the first known case of a pig testing positive for the virus in the U.S.

The discovery is raising concern over the safety of domestic pork products.

Influenza in pigs is pretty common which is why they are routinely tested. And it was through that test that officials in Minnesota learned about the positive results.

But health experts and pork producers insist that the public is not at risk for eating pork.

"You cannot get this novel H1N1 virus from eating pork," said Roy Lee Lindsay with the Oklahoma Pork Council. "You can't get it from handling pork. You can't get it from eating pork."

Lindsey says officials in Minnesota conducted a blind test of those pigs and they don't know where they ended up; although it's likely they are already on the market.