FAO experts to check if new strain linked to pigs in Mexico

Special Report: World Tackles Swine Flu

MEXICO CITY, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Tuesday it would send experts to Mexico this week to investigate whether the new strain of A/H1N1 swine flu had a direct connection to pigs.

At present, "the transmission seems to be occurring solely from humans to humans and there has been no confirmed evidence so far that the new strain of H1N1 influenza virus was passed to humans directly form pigs." FAO said in a statement.

The team from FAO's crisis management centre - Animal Health (CMC-AH) would firstly verify whether the virus entered humans directly from pigs, said FAO's chief veterinary officer Joseph Domenech.

"There is no evidence of a threat to the food chain," he said.

According to Mexican health ministry, the flu outbreak has killed as many as 159 people in Mexico.

NYC officials check on swine flu virus in second Queens school

NEW YORK, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Officials from the New York City Department of Health on Tuesday are looking into whether students at a second Queens school may have swine flu virus.

In addition to health officials, education officials and police officers are also gathering at the P.S. 177 or the Robin Sue Ward School for Exceptional Children, on 188th Street in Fresh Meadows, not far from St. Francis Prep, where the first cases were reported after a class trip to Mexico, to make sure all children and school faculty do not carry the virus.

Eleven students at the special needs school were sent to the hospital on Monday after complaining of high fever. Three adults, including the school's assistant principal, were also sent home. The assistant principal tested negative for swine flu.

According to the school's guidance counselor, the child of one of the teachers at P.S. 177 is one of the students at St. Francis Prep, who was confirmed to have swine flu. Additionally, the sibling of another P.S. 177 student also has the bug.