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Flu's 'Ground Zero' May Be Mexican 5-Year-Old

4-year-old boy survived flu in village near huge pig farm

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 28, 2009 5:44 AM CDT

(Newser) – Mexican authorities have tracked the first known case of a mutant strain of swine flu to a boy in a village near a huge pig farm, the Guardian reports. Edgar Hernandez, 4, survived the outbreak of illness in the eastern Mexico village of La Gloria in February, but two babies died from what residents now believe was the same flu that is spreading across Mexico and around the world.

"When we saw it on the television, we said to ourselves, 'This is what we had,'" one resident told the AP. The village is 12 miles from a US-owned industrial pig production facility. Its owner says the plant is free of swine flu, although residents of La Gloria have long complained about the plant's lagoons of excrement and the huge clouds of flies that surround them.

[Images (4)]

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Margarita Hernandez, who claims to have recovered from swine flu, protests against health workers while waiting for state Governor Miguel Herrera to arrive in La Gloria village yesterday. (AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)

A street vendor sets up where people gather outside the home of a child who, according to Veracruz state Governor Miguel Herrera, survived the swine flu. (AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)

Edgar Hernandez, 4, stands in his home in La Gloria village in Mexico's Veracruz state yesterday. Edgar had the first suspected case of swine flu. (AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)

A woman stands outside the home of a child who survived the swine flu in La Gloria village in Mexico's Veracruz state yesterday. (AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)

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About 60% of the village were ill and we asked them what it was and they said it was a severe and atypical cold. We talked about influenza and they said that was impossible, that influenza had been eradicated from Mexico. - A resident of La Gloria

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COMMENTS

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Showing 2 of 2 comments

DeniseVB

Apr 28, 2009 12:54 PM CDT

Living near a pig farm is a health hazard to begin with. Not only to the air quality, but the pollution it causes to nearby water sources. I'm sure Mexico doesn't have as strong environmental controls as we do, but nearby Smithfield, a hog giant, is always getting fined.

riffran

Apr 28, 2009 11:13 AM CDT

Thats it...Americans insatiable demand for bacon, and chicharones, and pickled pig feet caused this epidemic........all sarcasm aside.....any livestock confined in a "lot" is going to produce a significant amount of ......poo.....but is it the source of the outbreak?

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Flu's 'Ground Zero' May Be Mexican 5-Year-Old