Swine Flu Outbreak Hits U.S. again - 37 Confirmed Cases

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed another 37 cases of swine flu in the United States on Monday, most of which were in people who had recently traveled to Mexico.

"This latest wave of cases is similar to the pattern seen in the spring, with most of the cases involving people who have recently returned from Mexico," said CDC director Dr. Julie Gerberding.

All of the new cases are mild and no deaths have been reported. To date, there have been a total of 431 confirmed cases of swine flu in the United States.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has now raised its global pandemic alert level to phase 5, which indicates that a global outbreak is imminent. The alert level was last raised to phase 5 in June 2004 during the H5N1 avian influenza pandemic.

Governments and health officials around the world are taking precautions against an outbreak, including increasing surveillance for cases, stockpiling antiviral drugs, and preparing plans for possible mass vaccination campaigns.

3. Tyson Recalls 36,000 Pounds of Pork After Farm Tests Positive for Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus

In a recent announcement, Tyson Foods, one of the largest poultry providers in the United States, has recalled 36,000 pounds of pork due to a positive test for the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv). The virus, which is highly contagious and causes severe diarrhea in pigs, has killed millions of pigs since it was first identified in 2013.

Tyson Foods stated that the pork had been shipped to institutions and retailers in ten states: California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin. The company has not yet released a list of the specific retailers and institutions that received the contaminated pork.

The PEDv virus is believed to have originated in China and has spread rapidly throughout North America since it was identified. In November of last year, the USDA reported that more than 5 million pigs had died from the virus. The disease causes dehydration and death in young pigs; older pigs often recover. There is no cure or vaccine for PEDv and there is no evidence that it poses a risk to humans.

This is not Tyson Foods' first encounter with the PEDv virus. In January of this year, the company recalled nearly 2 million pounds of pork products that had been infected with the virus.

4. Six More States Report Swine Flu Activity

States with confirmed or probable cases of swine flu in pigs as of Jan. 7, 2015

Arkansas California Iowa Minnesota Missouri Oklahoma

5. Study: Eating Bacon Twice a Week 'Reduces the Risk of Death by 22 Percent'

A study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention has found that eating bacon twice a week may reduce the risk of death by up to 22 percent.

For the study, researchers at the University of Oxford analyzed data from 448,568 men and women between the ages of 40 and 69 who were enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study.

The participants were asked about their diet, including how often they ate bacon, ham, sausages or salami.

The results showed that those who ate bacon twice a week were 22 percent less likely to die from any cause during the eight-year study period than those who didn't eat bacon at all.

They were also 19 percent less likely to die from cancer and 28 percent less likely to die from heart disease.

Bacon is a processed meat and is high in saturated fat and salt, which are known to increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.

However, the researchers say that the benefits of eating bacon may outweigh the risks for some people.

"Bacon is unhealthy," lead researcher Dr. Stephanie Schleithoff said in a statement. "But everything in moderation."