Reason to worry? UK detects first human case of flu strain similar to swine flu

The individual concerned had experienced a mild illness and fully recovered, UK's health ministry said.

Britain said that it had detected a first human case of flu strain A(H1N2)v, which is similar to a virus currently circulating in pigs. The individual concerned had experienced a mild illness and fully recovered, UK's health ministry said.

The individual concerned had experienced a mild illness and fully recovered, UK's health ministry said.(Representational)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that the case was detected as part of routine national flu surveillance. The source of infection was not known yet but close contacts of the case are being followed up by the health authorities. The situation is being monitored with increased surveillance in surgeries and hospitals in North Yorkshire, the UKHSA said in a statement.

"This is the first time we have detected this virus in humans in the UK, though it is very similar to viruses that have been detected in pigs," UKHSA incident director Meera Chand said as per news agency Reuters.

The UKHSA said that based on early information the infection detected recently in Britain was different from cases of the strain found elsewhere globally since 2005. In 2009, the swine flu pandemic in humans infected millions of people. It was caused by a virus which contained genetic material from viruses that were circulating in pigs, birds and humans.

The variant was first found in a minor in the US state of Michigan earlier this year.