CAIRO: Four days after the eruption of swine flu in Mexico, the Egyptian Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs ordered the swift transfer of all pig farms far from residential areas in Egypt.

In an official media statement released by the ministry on Sunday, all pig farmers are to be relocated to the 238-acre in 15 May city dedicated to raising pigs.

The new location is also to be used to recycle garbage, according to Presidential decree No. 338 for 2008.

The ministry, according to the press, release chose this location because it is the furthest and safest area to be used to raise pigs and recycle waste. The location was also chosen with the approval of Ministries of Health, Housing, Local Development and Agriculture.

The ministry has further listed nine areas where pigs are currently being raised in Egypt.

Among the nine locations, five are in Cairo: Ezbet Al-Nakhl, along the Cairo-Ismailia road; Mansheyet Nasser off the Autostrad; Batn El-Ba’ara in Old Cairo; Katameya, at the end of Katameya district and Al-Moatamadeya in Giza off the Sixth of October Corridor high way.

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report published on Sunday, the US reported 20 laboratory confirmed human cases of swine flu, also known as pig flu, eight in New York, seven in California, two in Texas, two in Kansas and one in Ohio.

Until press time, no deaths had been reported in the US cases.

On Sunday, Mexico reported 18 new laboratory confirmed cases of swine flu after it was reported on Saturday that some 81 people died there after being infected with the virus.

The WHO and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) are sending medical experts to Mexico to support the health authorities. However, the WHO still did not  recommend any travel or trade restrictions, according to its updated media release on Sunday.

On the other hand, the British Health Minister told the BBC news channel that England is safe from the swine flu. According to the minister, Britain has enough anti-viral drugs to treat the disease that it has also sent much of it to Mexico and the US.

Swine flu can be transmitted to humans who have direct contact with pigs.

Similar to avian flu, swine flu symptoms are like normal influenza. It is airborne and thus could spread among humans.