MI Child Tests Positive For Swine Flu After Attending Oakland Co. Fair

LAPEER COUNTY, MI — A Lapeer County child tested positive for influenza A H3 variant, or swine flu, after attending the Oakland County Fair where a group of pigs tested positive for the virus, according to state and county health officials.

The fair, which ran from July 7-16, was at Springfield Oaks County Park in Davisburg and was managed by the Oakland County 4-H Fair Association.

Oakland County health officials are reaching out to individuals and families who visited the swine barns at the fair to identify any additional illnesses.

"Visitors of the Oakland County Fair should monitor for flu-like symptoms: fever, respiratory symptoms like cough and runny nose, and body aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea," MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said. "If you believe you may have the flu, contact your health care provider and stay home until you have recovered."

Pigs infected with the swine influenza can spread the virus to humans, although it's rare. Officials believe pigs can spread the virus to humans in the same way that human flu viruses spread; mainly through droplets when infected pigs cough and sneeze.

People infected with the swine flu experience similar symptoms to those of seasonal flu viruses and can include fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, according to health officials.

They can sometimes cause severe disease, even in healthy people, and can include complications, such as pneumonia, which may require hospitalization, and sometimes causes death, according to health officials.

People who are at high risk of developing swine flu symptoms include children younger than 5 years of age, people 65 years of age and older, pregnant women and people with certain long-term health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, weakened immune systems and neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions, according to health officials.

Swine flu symptoms usually occur in three days, but officials noted it can take up to ten days. Currently, there is no vaccine for the swine flu and the seasonal flu vaccine will not work, according to health officials.

However, prescription antiviral drugs, such as oseltamivir and zanamivir, are effective in treating influenza A H3 virus infections. Early treatment works best and may be especially important for people with a high-risk condition.