Canada – swine flu

New flu strain identified in Saskatchewan

Article published on the 2009-07-08 Latest update 2009-07-10 07:40 TU

(Photo: Reuters)

A new A type flu virus, related but not identical to the A(H1N1) strain that emerged in Mexico in April before spreading around the world, was indentified by scientists in two pig farm workers in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, health authorities announced Wednesday.

The provincial authorities stressed that the new virus is “non-pandemic” and that “the risk to public health is low and that Canadians who have been vaccinated against the regular, seasonal flu should have some immunity to this new flu strain”.

The new virus appears to contain elements from both the human seasonal flu and the swine flu viruses.

Two other workers on the farm fell ill, but have since recovered and returned to work.

Worst hit by this spring’s swine flu outbreak was the United States with 170 deaths, followed by Mexico with 119 and Argentina with 60, while 37 Canadians were killed by the virus.

Health workers in Saskatchewan are monitoring pig farms and those who work on them, and are increasing standardised testing to reassure the population that no outbreak is happening.