United States: The Minnesota Department of Health has disclosed the detection of two variant H3N2 (H3N2v) influenza infections, both of which involve juveniles who attended agricultural exhibitions where they encountered swine, as confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its most recent flu update.
Both individuals sought medical attention in the week ending September 7, though neither required hospitalization and both have since recuperated from their illnesses. These new cases bring the nation’s cumulative variant flu case tally for the season to nine, according to CIDRAP.
Upon investigation, officials determined that the two individuals were not in contact with one another, though both had been present at the same agricultural event. One child had indirect exposure to swine, while the other had direct interaction.
Family Member Contracted COVID
In the first case, the inquiry revealed that all members of the affected household exhibited symptoms the day after attending the fair. One family member tested positive for COVID-19, yet all eventually recovered, including the initial patient, as reported by CIDRAP News.
However, shortly after recovery, the first patient developed new symptoms and was subsequently tested for influenza A, later confirmed as H3N2v. No additional illnesses were identified among the first patient’s contacts.
The second case was similarly isolated, with no associated illnesses reported among the individual’s contacts. The CDC concluded that “no human-to-human transmission of influenza A(H3N2)v was linked to either case.”