The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department is investigating whether several local cases of the flu are linked to a case of influenza in a pig at the California Mid-State Fair.
Health officials say several patients, who all had extended contact with pigs at the fair, have tested positive for an influenza virus that may be different from viruses that are common during flu season.
Those people have all reportedly recovered from their illnesses.
While the virus in these cases may be different from the common flu virus, health officials say the symptoms and treatment are the same. They also say the flu is common in pigs and from time to time, it can be transmitted from a pig to a human, usually when people have close contact with pigs over an extended period of time.
The Health Department says anyone who had extended contact with pigs at the Mid-State Fair should be alert for symptoms of the flu, including fever, cough, sore throat, muscle or body aches, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue.
Health officials say it is usually best to recover on your own at home; however, children under age 5, adults over 65 and people with underlying medical conditions should seek treatment from their regular doctor.
