NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and Tennessee Department of Health are encouraging visitors and exhibitors to take measures to stay healthy as they visit county and state fairs this summer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported several cases of the Swine Flu from patients in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
The cases have been linked back to pigs from county and state fairs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now concerned about the new influenza virus that has been found in U.S. pigs and has also infected people.
The new strain is called H3N2V when it infects humans.
The Wilson County fair opens on Friday and fair organizers are taking extra steps to keep the pigs, exhibitors and visitors healthy this year.
"The veterinarians do check and the health papers are checked here and then the other thing is its just visual perception when a pig gets sick, they act very much like we do," Wilson County Fair president Hale Moss told Nashville's News 2.
Moss said the Tennessee Department of Agriculture will also be inspecting the pigs as they arrive to make sure they are healthy.
No swine to human cases of the flu at fairs have been recorded in Tennessee which is why fair organizers are encouraging visitors to practice healthy measures.
"When you come to visit the animal barns and exhibits at the fair make sure you wash your hands when you're finished there," Moss said, "and finish all foods and drinks before coming into this area."
Fair organizers plan to increase the signage and make announcements reminding visitors of safety precautions.
