Maryland Reports More H3N2v Flu Cases
US - In an ongoing spike in variant H3N2 (H3N2v) influenza cases linked to Maryland county fairs, state health officials reported 12 more presumed or confirmed cases on Friday, as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided more details on 32 of the most recent cases, which includes one from Delaware.
2 October 2017
2 minute read
By: According to CIDRAP,Confirmation tests are still under way for some of Maryland cases, but the state has now reported 32 presumed or confirmed H3N2v cases, making this year's H3N2v total the highest since the record year in 2012, when 309 cases were reported.
Cancelled swine exhibits
The Maryland cases so far are in people who had close contact with pigs at fairs in three counties: Charles, Anne Arundel, and Frederick.
State agriculture officials have placed a hold on sick pigs from the Frederick County fair, as well as some farms in the area that house fair pigs that left the facility before the virus was detected. Only one more county fair is slated to take place in Maryland this season, and, as a precaution, officials have cancelled swine exhibits at the Calvert County Fair.
On 27 September, Delaware's Division of Public Health reported that state's first H3N2v case, involving a girl who had contact with pigs at the Anne Arundel County Fair in Maryland.
