On Friday, August 7th, a pig at the Kent County Youth Fair died while several other pigs developed signs of swine flu. The sick pigs were isolated, and the swine barn was immediately closed to the public.
As a precaution, the Kent County Health Department along with state agencies are investigating any reports of influenza-like illness among individuals who had contact with pigs at the fair.
KCHD Health Officer Dr. Adam London stated, “While we do not have confirmation of human infection at this time, we are taking this situation seriously and want people who may have been exposed to know what symptoms to watch for and what to do next. Anyone who develops flu-like symptoms after having contact with pigs at the fair should contact the Kent County Health Department and let their health care provider know about their exposure.”
Swine flu in pigs is not a food safety concern, and people cannot contract influenza by eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products.
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