UK records case of never-before-seen swine flu as health chiefs scramble to track down contacts of Brit left battling ‘mild’ illness
- The unknown person tested positive for the disease after visiting their GP
- The strain is different from the H1N1 swine flu that caused the 2009 outbreak
One Briton has contracted a never-before-seen strain of swine flu, health officials have revealed.
The unidentified person, believed to be from North Yorkshire, tested positive for the disease after visiting his GP when he ‘experienced respiratory symptoms’, the UK Health Security (UKHSA) said.
Health chiefs have not yet identified the source of the infection and are doing their best to trace all contacts of the Briton who had ‘mild’ symptoms.
The strain, H1N2, can be transmitted from sick pigs to humans, but only rarely spreads between people.
It is different from the H1N1 swine flu that caused the 2009 outbreak that killed 457 in Britain alone.
The strain, H1N2, can be transmitted from sick pigs to people, but only rarely spreads between people. It is different from the H1N1 swine flu that caused the 2009 outbreak that killed 457 in Britain alone
Swine flu increases among pigs around the autumn months, increasing the risk of the disease spreading to humans.
People who become infected often experience symptoms similar to seasonal flu, including fever, cough, runny nose and body aches.
But cases are normally mild and go away on their own within a few weeks. There is little risk of death.
However, scientists say children under five, people over 65, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions are at greater risk of complications if they become infected.
The unidentified person has now made a “full recovery,” officials said. But the source of contamination ‘is still being investigated’.
Health chiefs are now closely monitoring the situation and are expanding their swine flu surveillance programme, involving GP practices and hospitals in the region.
The case was discovered as part of routine national flu surveillance carried out by the UKHSA and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).
Officials have urged those contacted by the UKHSA to complete a test.
Meera Chand, incident director at UKHSA, said: ‘It is thanks to routine flu surveillance and genome sequencing that we have been able to detect this virus.
‘This is the first time we have detected this virus in people in Britain, although it is very similar to viruses detected in pigs.’
She added: ‘We are working quickly to trace close contacts and reduce any potential spread.
‘In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to determine how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further related cases.’