The first confirmed human case of a new strain of swine flu has been confirmed in the UK.
A(H1N2)v infection was detected in a routine influenza screening test at a GP practice in North Yorkshire.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced on Monday 27 November that the person had respiratory symptoms but had mild illness and has now fully recovered.
It is not known whether the person had contact with pigs, so investigations are looking into the source of infection and its risk to other humans.
Credits: Narong KHUEANKAEW/istock
The UK has its first human case of the new strain of swine flu
Swine flu in humans
In the past 20 years, there have been only 50 human cases of swine influenza A(H1N2)v virus worldwide.
Because A(H1N2)v is a very new strain, information about symptoms is limited.
What is known so far is that the H1N1 subtype, also known as swine flu, causes symptoms such as cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and a lot of fatigue.
It is not yet known whether this A(H1N2)v virus suffers from similar symptoms, but what is known is that the patient exhibited respiratory symptoms.
The UKHSA has listed symptoms of respiratory infections to look out for:
- Persistent cough
- High temperature, fever, or chills
- Loss or change in taste or smell
- shortness of breath
- Inexplicable fatigue and lack of energy
- Muscle aches or pain not caused by exercise
- Lack of appetite
- A headache that is unusual or longer lasting than usual
- sore throat
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Diarrhea
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