The United Kingdom has reported its first human case of the A(H1N2)v flu strain, closely related to a virus currently circulating among pigs. The affected individual experienced a mild illness and has fully recovered, according to the UK's health ministry.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that the case was detected as part of routine national flu surveillance. The source of the infection remains unknown, prompting health authorities to conduct a thorough investigation. Close contacts of the case are under surveillance to trace and prevent potential spread.
The situation is being monitored with increased surveillance in surgeries and hospitals in North Yorkshire, the UKHSA said in a statement.
UKHSA stated that early information suggests the recently detected infection differs from global cases of the A(H1N2)v strain since 2005. In 2009, a swine flu pandemic, originating from a virus with genetic material from pigs, birds, and humans, affected millions worldwide.