Blue Ear Disease

Someone has found out what's been killing millions of poor pigs in southern China. It's a disease called Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), or Blue Ear Disease.

While doctors are betting their chips on the fact that the illness won't affect humans, I'm sure it will cause lots of agony among our four-hooved friends.

So what's the bottom line? A large number of diseases originate in China. Why? Well, because Chinese farmers still has lots to learn in terms of hygiene, but to give them the benefit (and why China is mentioned and not Indonesia, Cambodia, or many-many other developing countries), they have nearly 1.4 billion people with approx 60 percent living in rural areas - so the statistical propability of diseases coming from there is quite large.

Another good news: Shortly after the name of the disease was released, Beijing announced they would create stricter rules for slaughterhouses for the good of public health. So I guess they are learning from the mistakes....