More Swine Flu Cases Reported, Same Rare Strain Blamed for Deadly Outbreak in Mexico

The new, rare strain of swine flu that has been blamed for sickening seven people in California and Texas is the same version of the virus that is linked to as many as 60 flu-related deaths in Mexico, officials said.

So far, five people have been infected with the swine influenza (H1N1) virus in Imperial and San Diego counties in California and two others have been infected in San Antonio, Texas. The victims range in age from nine to 54.

The symptoms of swine flu generally are similar to those of influenza, involving fever, cough, and sore throat. In some cases, people infected also may experience vomiting and diarrhea. In most cases, people recover from the illness without medical treatment, but in the most recent cases, one person was sick enough to be hospitalized and has since recovered, officials said.

How the infection is being spread is a bit of a mystery. In most cases, swine flu is transmitted to people who come into close contact with infected pigs, but none of the seven people infected in the U.S. had done so. Also, only a few of the victims had been in contact with each other.

The strain of swine flu being seen combines pig, bird, and human viruses in a new way that has not been seen in the United States before, according to officials with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Officials said they are likely to find additional cases of the flu as the investigation into its source continues.

In Mexico, a larger outbreak of the same strain of swine flu has produced more severe symptoms – including high fever, shortness of breath, and fatigue – and forced officials to close schools in an effort to slow its spread among children. Health officials in Canada have asked doctors to monitor patients who may be travelling from Mexico for signs of the flu.

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