Ingham County officials are not taking the blame after a Washtenaw County child caught a new strain of swine flu. The recent exposure to swine started at the fair which ended over a week ago.
County officials sent 6 News an email from the fair veternarian that said this: "No animals brought to the fair exhibited any symptoms that would indicate they were ill with H3N2 swine flu" and that they've followed all the proper procedures.
Health officials say you shouldn't be alarmed if you went to the county fair and touched the pigs.
"There are no H3N2 varient cases in Ingham County at this time," said Christine Hendrickson, the spokesperson for the Ingham County Health Department. "We continue to monitor, you know, and we'll keep the public up-to-date if anything were to change."
If you do feel sick though, they encourage you to see the doctor.
"It's similar to regular flu-like symptoms, essentially fever with either a cough or a sore throat," said Hendrickson.
Officials told 6 News many of the nationwide cases have been mild and required little treatment. The Department of Community Health says this H3N2 virus is not contagious between people.
But Michigan State Veterinarian Doctor Kent Ames says it is contagious between swine.
"A pig can carry it up to three months and not be sick, but they can still transmit it to other pigs," said Kent. "It can spread from pig to pig and can be a serious outbreak. Typically it's not something that causes death in the pig."
Farmers who notice their pigs aren't feeling well, should notify their vets as soon as possible.
"Most of the swine get over it, so there's never any tracking where it came from, where it's going," Kent said.
Experts say the best way to prevent getting the H3N2 flu virus is to wash your hands after you handle an animal.
Meanwhile, state officials from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are conducting their own investigation. They tell 6 News that it's too early to determine how the child who got the swine flu contracted the disease.
