Officials urge standard flu precautions
A child who attended the Coles County Fair in Charleston last week has been diagnosed with the first case of the H3N2v influenza virus, a variant form of influenza A, in the state. This child has not been hospitalized.
Illinois joins Indiana, Ohio and Hawaii as states which have confirmed this variation of “swine flu” within its borders.
“The H3N2v virus is relatively new, but the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois Department of Agriculture and our federal partners are monitoring this situation closely,” said IDPH Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck.
“We want you to enjoy your time at the state or county fair, so one key thing to do to stay healthy is to wash your hands frequently, especially if you are around swine.”
So far, the effects of this virus on people have been similar to the effects of seasonal flu virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conducting additional testing. The CDC has reported more than a dozen cases in the U.S. this year. Most infections have occurred following contact with swine, and cases of the virus being transmitted from person to person are rare.