The Naming of Swine Flu, a Curious Matter

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/world/asia/29swine.html?ref=health

HONG KONG — What to call the new strain of flu raising alarms around the world has taken on political, economic and diplomatic overtones.


Interactive
Tracking Swine Flu Cases Worldwide
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/04/27/us/20090427-flu-update-graphic.html


As Flu Spreads to 7 Countries, Restrictions Are Tightened (April 29, 2009)
Times Topics: Swine FluPork producers question whether the term "swine flu" is appropriate, given that the new virus has not yet been isolated in samples taken from pigs in Mexico or elsewhere. While the new virus seems to be most heavily composed of genetic sequences from swine influenza virus material, it also has human and avian influenza genetic sequences as well, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Government officials in Thailand, one of the world’s largest meat exporters, have started referring to the disease as “Mexican flu.” An Israeli deputy health minister — an ultra-Orthodox Jew — said his country would do the same, to keep Jews from having to say the word “swine.” However, his call seemed to have been largely ignored.

Janet Napolitano, the secretary for homeland security, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack went out of their way at a press conference in Washington on Tuesday to refer to the virus by its scientific name, as the "H1N1 virus."

[Tom Kitten]

1. Call it the New Bad Flu

I mean really, flies (the original vectors?) don't care what people think. They will continue to do what they do, no matter what diplomats agree upon.

[dalaigh lllama]

2. Then why not the Fly Flu.

That should be P.C. enough for everyone.

[Maru Kitteh]

4. I want the super-fly flu.

[Danger Mouse]

3. H1N1 or the Combo flu.

[MercutioATC]

5. It's a fucking swine flu. The Jews will just have to get over it.

Calling it the "Mexico City Flu" would be in keeping with naming contagious viruses after their point of origin.

Calling it the "Mexican Flu" is akin to calling Ebola the "African Fever".