Virus strain similar to swine flu detected in person for first time in UK

A virus strain similar to swine flu has been detected in a person for the first time in the UK.

It is understood a person in North Yorkshire was diagnosed with the illness as part of routine national flu surveillance after visiting their GP with breathing problems.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it is monitoring the situation closely and is taking steps to increase surveillance within existing programmes involving GP surgeries and hospitals.

Meera Chand, Incident Director at UKHSA, said: "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."

There have been a total of 50 human cases of the virus - influenza A(H1N2)v reported globally since 2005; but none of them are related genetically to this strain.

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