Finance
Spain alerts WHO of swine flu virus believed to have been transmitted between people
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 27, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 27, 2026
Quick Summary
Catalonia has notified the WHO after detecting an A(H1N1)v “variant” swine-flu infection that health officials believe may reflect limited person-to-person transmission, though the regional risk assessment is “very low” and no onward spread was found in tested contacts. Variant swine-flu infections
Spain Alerts WHO After Suspected Person-to-Person Swine Flu Case
Report Summary and Public Health Assessment
Suspected Person-to-Person Transmission in Catalonia
BARCELONA, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Spain has alerted the World Health Organization of what it believes to be a person-to-person transmission of the swine flu virus in its A(H1N1)v variant, a spokesperson for health authorities in the Catalonia region confirmed to Reuters on Friday.
Risk Assessment and Contact Testing Results
In a later statement, the Catalan health department said the risk assessment for the population was considered "very low".
Symptoms and Retransmission Findings
The person infected did not exhibit flu-like respiratory symptoms, it said, and tests on direct contacts showed the virus had not retransmitted.
El Pais Report and Expert Conclusions
An earlier report by newspaper El Pais citing Catalan health department sources said the patient - who has since recovered - had no contact with pigs or pig farms, leading experts to conclude it was a human-to-human transmission of the pathogen.
Pandemic Potential and Recombination Concerns
This set off alarm bells due to the pandemic potential of the swine flu virus if it recombines with a human flu virus, which could happen if a pig is infected with both at the same time, the El Pais report added.
WHO Response and Prior Notifications
The WHO did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
2023 Netherlands Case Notification
In 2023, the Netherlands notified the WHO of a confirmed human infection with a swine influenza A(H1N1)v virus in an adult with no history of occupational exposure to animals.
Historical Context: 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic
Origins and Scale of Human Infections
In 2009, the swine flu pandemic in humans infected millions of people. It was caused by a virus that contained genetic material from viruses that were circulating in pigs, birds and humans.
(Reporting by Joan Faus, Emma Pinedo and Olivia Le Poidevin; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Aislinn Laing and Louise Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •A(H1N1)v is a “variant” influenza virus normally associated with swine; public-health concern rises if a variant virus adapts to efficient human-to-human spread, which is why events like this are reported internationally. (cdc.gov)
- •Comparable WHO reporting in the Netherlands (Sept 2023) involved an adult with no occupational animal exposure; close-contact follow-up found no symptomatic cases and WHO assessed community spread risk as low—underscoring that many variant detections do not lead to wider transmission. (who.int)
- •The 2009 H1N1 pandemic illustrates the broader risk from novel influenza viruses created via reassortment (“gene swapping”) among swine/avian/human influenza lineages, which can produce viruses capable of global spread in people. (archive.cdc.gov)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Spain alerts WHO of swine flu virus believed to have been transmitted between people
1What did Spain report to the WHO about the swine flu A(H1N1)v variant?
Spain alerted the World Health Organization of what it believes was a person-to-person transmission of the swine flu virus in its A(H1N1)v variant.
2How did Catalonia’s health department assess the risk to the population?
Catalonia’s health department said the risk assessment for the population was considered "very low".
3Did the infected person show respiratory flu-like symptoms or pass the virus to contacts?
The person infected did not exhibit flu-like respiratory symptoms, and tests on direct contacts showed the virus had not retransmitted.
4Why did experts suspect human-to-human transmission in this case?
An El Pais report cited Catalan health sources saying the patient had no contact with pigs or pig farms, leading experts to conclude it was a human-to-human transmission.
5What prior notifications or outbreaks does the article reference for context?
It notes that in 2023 the Netherlands notified the WHO of a confirmed human infection with a swine influenza A(H1N1)v virus in an adult with no occupational animal exposure, and recalls the 2009 swine flu pandemic that infected millions.
