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CDC Confirms H3N2v In Butler County Outbreak

 

 

 

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Not unexpectedly, we’ve received confirmation this afternoon that at least 9 of the 10 suspected flu cases from the Butler County, Ohio (see Ohio Investigating Possible H3N2v Outbreak) have tested positive for the H3N3v swine flu virus. 

 

This outbreak comes on the heels of three other reports over the last week - two from Indiana and one from Hawaii - where a number of people who have been in close contact with pigs recently contracted the virus.

 

There are anecdotal reports of additional flu-like illnesses associated with county fairs in Indiana and Ohio, but we don’t have verification by lab tests on those.

 

For those wishing more background on this virus, earlier today I wrote A Variant Flu Review, which chronicled the history of H3N2v outbreaks since last summer. 

 

Here is the Press Release from Ohio’s Department of Health.

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August 2, 2012
For Immediate Release

HEALTH OFFICIALS CONFIRM FLU VIRUS STRAIN FROM BUTLER COUNTY FAIR

Columbus, OH —The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today confirmed that nine of 10 suspected influenza cases in Butler County have tested positive for the H3N2v strain.  The 10th case is still being tested.  The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the Butler County Health Department are actively investigating human illnesses associated with the Butler County Fair.

 

The strain matches the flu virus that recently infected four people with swine exposure at a county fair in Indiana.  All individuals in Butler County’s investigation also had direct contact with swine but none are currently hospitalized.

 

Butler County Health Department continues to collect information and is working with ODH and CDC to determine the extent of the illnesses.  The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is asking fair exhibitors to take precautions and is alerting attending veterinarians to closely monitor swine as they arrive on the fairgrounds for signs of influenza.

 

Fair attendance is safe; visitors should remember to always wash their hands after being in close-
proximity to livestock and to keep food and drink out of animal exhibits. All fair animals, especially pigs, are monitored for illness and signs of flu-like symptoms and are checked by veterinarians every day they are at the fair. This is to protect the health of both the people visiting the fair and the other animals in the barns.

(Continue . . .)

 

 

The CDC offered advice last week for those frequenting county fairs - or raising pigs - to help avoid or reduce the risks of transmission of the virus (see H3N2v: CDC Offers Advice To Fair Goers).

 

For more on human infection by novel swine flu viruses, you may wish to visit the CDC’s Swine Flu Information page.

 

Key Facts about Human Infections with Variant Viruses (Swine Origin Influenza Viruses in Humans)

Related Post:

H3N2v
Swine flu

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