County Fairs and Swine Flu Is Back

Here we go again folks.

Hey folks,

If you have been a true OPNer for any period of time, you know we followed the Bird Flu, and the Swine Flu very closely. As a matter of fact, we were one of the only ones that was tracking the Swine Flu cases and the deaths contributed to it. So when I saw this, I was absolutely stunned. Why has this not been reported?

Were you aware that there is a new strain? That's not uncommon. The normal Flu is a new and different strain every year. But the problem with this one? It can be transferred from animals to people. Something they claim Bird Flu can't do. At least that we know of officially.

As a matter of fact, there has been 29 human cases of Pig Flu. 12 cases confirmed just this past week. Get this...

ATLANTA - It's the season for state and county fairs, and health officials are reminding fairgoers to be careful around pigs because of a new flu spreading from the animals to people.

Officials say 29 human cases of the new strain of swine flu have been confirmed in the U.S. in the last year, most of them children.

Ten of the 12 cases confirmed this week were linked to the Butler County Fair in southwest Ohio, which ended last weekend.

Pigs get the flu, too, and can spread it to people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been tracking sporadic cases since last year, when the new strain was first seen in people. A concern: the new strain has a gene from the 2009 pandemic strain that might let it spread more easily than pig viruses normally do.

So all those cases we were tracking, that same Flu is back, however, mutated to spread more easily. Mostly in Children and the Elderly.

So far, that seems to be the case for pigs to people, but it hasn't been spreading easily from person to person , which is the greater concern.

It also has not been unusually dangerous. All of the recent cases were mild, as were most of the earlier illnesses.

But even regular flu can be a serious illness, so people should be careful if they're going be around pigs, said Dr. Joseph Bresee, the CDC's chief of influenza epidemiology.

Fairgoers are advised to wash their hands and avoid taking food and drinks into livestock barns. Pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems should be particularly careful.

In other words, STAY OUT of the Live Stock exhibits. They may be cute little ani,,OK,,some of those Pigs get BIG. But you get the point. They may be cute, but not worth getting sick over.

With summer and fall fairs, "we're likely to see additional cases," Bresee told reporters during a teleconference Friday. He said work has begun on a vaccine for the new strain in case it ever becomes more of a threat.

Meanwhile, officials at state fairs in Ohio and Indiana say they'll be watching for any signs of swine flu. The Ohio State Fair sent home two pigs with the flu this week.

Oh that's reassuring. My fair here does not come until February. I can assure you, Joshua and Eli will skip the Live Stock exhibits. I think we will skip the Pigs, Chickens, and what, Goats, Cows, and Horses. There are plenty more to throw my money away on than them. Be careful out there. Here we go again folks.
Peter

Sources:
Philly.com / AP - CDC issues fair warning about pig flu

MIKE STOBBE The Associated Press