Where did the flu originate?

Answer 1

There was speculation that it may have started at an American owned pig farm in Mexico, a Smithfield Foods facility. However, the following article states that Mexico's Agriculture Department has proven it was not the original location:
Press Release from the National Pork Producers Council:
"Washington, May 14, 2009 -
Mexico's agriculture department today said the influenza strain that now has infected almost 4,300 people in 33 countries did not originate from hogs at a Smithfield Foods operation that had been singled out by some, including critics of modern pork production, as the source of the A-H1N1 flu virus.
Test results released today by the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture, Ranching, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) confirmed that the novel A-H1N1 virus was not in pigs at the Granjas Carroll de México farm in Veracruz. The pigs also tested negative for other viruses. "

The generic virus itself is not new-Swine Flu caused a brief panic in 1976 when it appeared in a U.S. army base and sickened many of the soldiers stationed there. Ironically the biggest fallout from that incident of swine flu came from the vaccine that President Gerald Ford urged citizens to get: only one person died from the actual flu while twenty-five died and five-hundred took sick from the vaccine. To further complicate our understanding of where this virus came from, researchers are now saying that "swine" flu isn't even the correct description of what this current one is, since this virus is made up from a mix of porcine, avian and human flu strains. Swine flu, in it's purely "piggy" form, is actually found in pigs worldwide, literally in every country. The World Animal Health organization is recommending the virus be renamed to "North-American influenza" to reflect its presumed origins. It is being called "Influenza A, Novel H1N1 (formerly Swine Flu)" by CDC and WHO and most of the world nations' ministries of health now.
For this particular incarnation of swine flu to transfer to humans would have taken a fairly complicated series of events. A pig with swine flu would have had to come into contact with a human with "human" flu and then the two viruses would have had to hybridize in the pig. Eventually a new strain of flu would be created that could be caught by humans, and would perhaps be carried back to humans via flies.
For a more scientific or medical explanation to answer the question, see the related answer below about the cause of the 2009 "Swine Flu" H1N1 Virus.

Answer 2

It has been everywhere but the outbreak started in Mexico. A boy came from Mexico and gave the it to every student in his class and then to his whole school. They got shut down and as for the Mexican boy... Well he died.

Answer 3

Viruses have always been around, probably as long as there has been life on Earth. The influenza virus developed with all the other viruses through mutation of preceding viruses. The bird flu developed from one of those mutations and birds began becoming ill with it and passing it to other birds. When the birds were kept very close together with pigs, the virus was able to mutate through the pigs into a type of flu that people could get because pigs are physiologically very similar to humans. Once the bird flu mutated into a form that people could get from birds, it became more widely known and we began to hear about it even though it had been around a long time before it became a concern for people. It made headlines when people began getting it and 50 to 60 % of those who contracted it died.

Answer 4

well i think it comes from the germs that you take when you are out of home

Answer 5

Animals, especially pigs and birds were the origin of the flu. Most flu started in parts of Europe and Southeast Asia. Flu can cause fever, digestive discomfort and aches.

Answer 6

the flu actually came from birds

Answer 7

mexico. pigs.

Answer 8

Is the swan flue from China?