Fairs take action against new swine flu

HUDSONVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - With fair season in full swing, there are growing concerns over a new form of the swine flu.

Most reported cases are from Indiana, but just last week, a young Washtenaw County girl contracted the virus at at the Ingham County Fair. She was ill for a while, but did not need to be hospitalized.

State health officials then put out a warning to all fair-goers to take precautions around pigs.

Health Officials stress this is a different form of flu than the H1N1 swine flu of three years ago. This form is called H3N2v. Its symptoms are said to be less severe.

But organizers of the Hudsonville Community Fair took every precaution.

The 4-H Swine Show is one of the most popular events at the fair. Participants of all ages worked for months to make ready their prize-winning pigs. But word travels fast, and while most didn't want to speak on it, they are well aware of the Washtenaw County girl's case.

4-H Director Lorna Emelander said a veterinarian was brought in Monday morning to examine each and every pig entering the fair grounds.
 
"She's going to check temperatures," said Emelander. "If she sees any clinical signs. But she says this was the healthiest bunch she ever saw."

H3N2v can be spread from pigs to humans through the air via a sneeze or by touching an infected pig and then touching your nose or mouth. Symptoms are similar to the seasonal flu.

State health officials urged fair-goers to avoid contact with pigs if possible and wash their hands if they do.

"We don't want to scare people, because there is no swine flu here now," said Hudsonville Community Fair President Gordon Miller.

Miller got out in front of the issue well before opening the grounds. State health officials were on site. And along with daily vet checks, Miller placed 34 hand sanitizer stations in visible areas and has been in close contact with the Ottawa County Health Department.

"I talked to them. We talked to the state health department, told them what we had done, and they said that is more than what they would have recommended," said Miller.

The Centers for Disease Control reports more than 220 cases of swine flu nationwide since July.

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Online:

Centers for Disease Control on H3N2v

Michigan Department of Community Health