Maryland

Sick Pigs, Child Shut Down Swine Barn at Frederick Fair

A pig barn has been closed at a fair in Frederick, Maryland, after state inspectors found 11 pigs had influenza.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture said in a statement Sunday preliminary tests show the 11 pigs from The Great Frederick Fair are infected with influenza A. It isn't clear if that strain is potentially transmissible to humans, and additional testing is being conducted.

The Frederick News-Post reports officials with the fair were also alerted of a child at a local hospital that had been at the fair around pigs at was exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

It's rare but possible for pig influenza to infect people, according to the Maryland Department of Health. So is the limited spread of swine flu between humans.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and sore throat.

The discovery comes after pigs that were recently exhibited a fair in Charles County were diagnosed with swine flu. Seven people got sick after contact with the pigs.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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