Health officials are urging people to be cautious at
agricultural fairs this summer after the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) reported an increase in the number
of swine flu cases linked to pigs at such fairs in other parts
of the country. The CDC said there were 12 new cases of the
H3N2v virus in the past week in Hawaii, Ohio and Indiana, and
all were linked to people who attended or exhibited swine at an
agricultural fair. Washington-area officials suggest those at
high risk for the flu — including children, the elderly,
pregnant women and those with weak immune systems — avoid
exposure to pigs at county fairs as the annual fair season hits
its peak. "We just want to get ahead of the curve, as these
things do tend to spread," said Peter Beilenson, the health
officer for Howard County, Md., which issued an alert Saturday.
"We're not trying to raise hysteria. We're trying to make sure
people avoid getting sick." Health officials pay close attention
to swine flu cases: Strains of the virus cau