WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Wisconsin State Fair health leaders are taking precautionary measures to keep both animals and people safe after two people who visited pig exhibits in Michigan tested positive for swine flu.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked people to be wary of swine flu in light of the two people in Michigan contracting swine flu. The CDC said each patient became ill with flu-like symptoms approximately 10 days after visiting two different pig exhibits at two different fairs in July.
In Wisconsin, so far, there have been no recent reports of swine flu cases. According to officials with the Wisconsin State Fair, there has never been a case of swine flu during the fair.
According to the CDC, swine flu is a respiratory disease that pigs can get and it is caused by Type A influenza viruses. Pigs can pass the virus on to people if proper safety steps are not taken. The CDC recommended that people avoid eating or drinking around the swine barns, do not pet the animals and always wash hands after visiting pigs.
Morgan Black with Lobdell Show Pigs brought her pigs to the Wisconsin State Fair and said she feels comfortable with her animals at the fair because of all the health checks that are done.
“Even before coming to the grounds, we have to do a rope test, where pigs chew on the rope. It is like a saliva test. It tests for all the diseases — like respiratory,” said Black.
Once arriving at State Fair, the health checks continue, Black said.
The State Fair doctor checks to make sure each exhibitor has the proper paperwork and then looks at the animals in person. The pigs are looked at by the State Fair doctor daily.
“They come around to make sure everything is looking healthy — just like before we enter the grounds — and if something doesn’t look well, they will ask about it and send you home if things don’t look right,” said Black.
On top of the state requirements, Black said Lobdell Show Pigs take extra steps to keep its pigs healthy.
“Each day they get walked and washed,” Black said.
After Lobdell Show Pigs’ pigs come back from a State Fair visit, Black said they will be quarantined.
“After each show, we quarantine in case we did pick up a virus, so we don’t give it to animals at our next show,” said Black.