Canada's first case of a rare swine flu variant, Influenza A (H1N2)v, has been detected in a patient from central Alberta, but health officials say it is an isolated case, that there is "no evidence at this time that the virus has spread further" and that it presents no increased risk to Albertans. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, and Dr. Keith Lehman, the chief provincial veterinarian, issued a statement Wednesday confirming a person tested positive for the virus in mid-October. Hinshaw and Lehman said this is not only the first time this particular swine flu variant has been found in Canada, but just the 27th such case detected worldwide since 2005. "We are taking this seriously, as any human infection with a non-seasonal influenza virus needs to be followed up under our international obligations," Hinshaw said. The positive case was discovered after the patient went to a local hospital and was tested for Covid-19. The individual sought was dealing with mild, influenza-like symptoms but quickly recovered. "Health officials, in conjunction with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, have launched a public health investigation to determine the source of the virus and to verify that no spread occurred," reads Hinshaw and Lehman's statement. "The Government of Alberta will continue working closely with Alberta Health Services, the Public Health Agency of Canada and other partners across Canada." At a press conference on Wednesday, Dr. Hinshaw said health officials had launched an investigation to determine the source of the virus, but that there is no link to slaughterhouses. Health officials confirmed that H1N2 is not a food-related illness and that there is no risk associated with eating pork. Dr. Lehman said H1N2 in pigs is "not uncommon," and animals can have the virus without showing symptoms. Hinshaw stated that it is "quite rare" to see the transmission of the H1N2 virus from humans to animals or from animals to humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three main influenza A virus subtypes have been isolated in pigs in the United States: H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2. The H1N1 virus emerged in 2009, causing the first global flu pandemic in 40 years. The CDC estimated that between 151,700-575,400 people worldwide died from the H1N1 infections during the first year the virus circulated. In August of 2010, the WHO declared an end to the global 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Source
