The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced on Monday the detection of the country’s first human case of the swine flu strain H1N2, similar to what has been circulating in pigs.
The case was identified through routine surveillance in general practitioner surgeries after the person experienced a mild illness.
Contact tracing is underway to prevent further spread, although it is unknown at this stage how transmissible the strain is or if there could be other cases in the UK.
The UKHSA has notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of the case.
There have been around 50 reported human cases worldwide of the H1N2 virus since 2005, none genetically related to this particular strain.
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The patient, who is not known to have worked with pigs, has fully recovered. The case was identified as part of routine national flu surveillance conducted by UKHSA and the Royal College of GPs.
The UKHSA emphasized that people with respiratory symptoms should follow existing guidance, avoid contact with others while experiencing symptoms, and take particular care around vulnerable individuals and the elderly.
Meera Chand, incident director at the UKHSA, stated, “We are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce any potential spread.
Investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.”
Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss highlighted the importance of high standards of animal health, welfare, and biosecurity, considering the potential transmission of diseases from animals to humans.
The UKHSA noted that the strain detected in the UK differs from recent human cases of H1N2 elsewhere in the world but is similar to viruses found in UK pigs.
In 2009, a pandemic in humans was caused by the H1N1 flu strain, commonly known as swine flu.
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