Manila, (FAO/OIE/WHO) — At the invitation of the Government of the Philippines, experts from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have arrived in Manila to participate in a joint mission to further investigate the Ebola Reston virus identified last October in pigs from two farms in the Philippines.

The fact that this is the first time that the virus has been found outside monkeys, and the first time ever, worldwide, that it has been found in swine, a food-producing animal, makes this mission particularly important – especially considering the potential implications for animal and human health and welfare. Since learning about the existence of Ebola Reston in pigs in the Philippines, FAO, OIE and WHO have been fully committed to provide technical assistance to the Government of Philippines.

The mission started on January 6 and will last 10 days. During this period, the joint FAO/OIE/WHO team will work with Philippines counterparts to address, through field and laboratory investigation, important questions as to the source of the virus, its transmission, its virulence and its natural habitat, in order to provide appropriate guidance for animal and human health protection. This work will be only the start of a lengthy process to address these issues.

The field investigation component of the mission starts today. Epidemiologists, laboratory specialists, veterinarians, food safety and public health and risk communication experts from the international agencies as well as from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health of the Philippines will be working jointly on the investigation.

Preliminary results are expected in a few weeks at the earliest. These first results will enable the planning of further investigations as we move forward with more joint research with our local and international partners. Regular updates on new information will be provided as it becomes available.

In the meantime, it remains safe to consume pork meat, as long as it is purchased in National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) accredited outlets and it is handled and cooked properly. As a reminder:

Meat should be cooked at a minimum of 70°C in all parts of the food, until there is no pink meat and the juices run clear; this is because most viruses, including this one, are quickly killed when sufficiently heated.

In the case of uncooked processed pork, it is safe to eat if national safety standards have been met during production, processing and distribution.

Proper hygiene should be exercised when slaughtering and preparing pork. Food preparation and all utensils (hands, knives, cutting surfaces, bowls, etc) should be cleaned before and after use. Frequent hand washing with soap is important.

Meat from suspect pigs, sick pigs or pigs found dead should not be eaten nor fed to other animals, and proper hygiene precautions and protection should be taken to dispose of sick or dead pigs.

For more information:

FAO: Diderik de Vleeschauwer, Information Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand, Mobile (+660)81 899 7354, Email [email protected]
or
Mario Musa, Communications Advisor, Crisis Management Centre – Animal Health, FAO headquarters, Italy, Mobile: (+630)916 245 4160, Email: [email protected]

OIE: Maria Zampaglione, Communication Unit, OIE Headquarters, Paris, (+33) 1 44151851, Email: [email protected]

WHO: Caroline-Anne Coulombe, Technical Officer, Risk Communications, Western Pacific Regional Office, Mobile: (+630) 916 245 4160, Email: [email protected]