(Ogden, UT) Weber-Morgan Health Department received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and the Utah Department of Health that a Weber County resident has tested positive for a novel flu virus that has been identified in several isolated cases in the United States.
The individual was not hospitalized and recovered at home. As a precaution, all known contacts have been advised to watch for fever, cough and other flu-like symptoms and to contact their physician if necessary.

While considered novel, the virus, A/H3N2v, is genetically similar to those which circulate in pigs. It is common practice for the CDC to monitor diseases that are capable of transmitting from animals to humans, says Gary House, director of the Weber-Morgan Health Department.

a€?Fortunately, this individual is getting better,a€? House says. a€?We know there have been 12 other cases with in the past year in the United States that have also fully recovered. We are working with the CDC, the Utah Department of Health and Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to determine how the individual was exposed to this particular flu virus.a€?
As with all other flu viruses, House reminds the community to take preventive measures such as covering coughs and sneezes, staying at home while ill and washing hands frequently.
´We learned from the H1N1 experience of 2009 that the publica€?s willingness to follow these simple precautions is the best line of defense.´ House says.