The Pennsylvania State Department of Health announced Friday at least four people have been infected with a new strain of swine flu after attending the Huntingdon County Fair. So far they believe all cases were discovered in youth participants of the fair but they're urging anyone who thinks they may have been infected to seek medical treatment.

The new strain is known as H3H2v and it's directly related to pigs. But both the state health and agriculture departments emphasized it's not possible to become infected by preparing or eating pork. They said it's also not transmitted between humans. The only way to catch the flu virus is from direct contact with sick pigs.

"All of the evidence demonstrates that this is only being acquired from direct contact with pigs," said Dr. Stephen Ostroff of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

But the State Department of Agriculture told 6 News that all animals were checked out before the Huntingdon County Fair and all things were a go.

"What happens is, when the animals get to the fair they must have a valid health certificate," said Samantha Krepps, press secretary for the Department of Agriculture. "Our vets check them out and if they're healthy they're allowed to go on the fair grounds, however if they're not healthy, they must go back home."

But Krepps said they were called back just a few days later.

"The fair manager said that two animals exhibited illnesses," said Krepps. "So our vets went and checked them and they were swabbed and the samples came back negative."

With no evidence of illness in the pigs, the fair went on as normal and no one reported being sick until after.

"A higher than usual number of exhibitors and people who were at the fair have come down with a flu-like illness," said Kurt Eysenbach, superintendent of livestock at the fair.

Ostroff said pigs get sick too, and while it's not normal for their illness to spread to humans, he says it can happen.

"So anytime that we see such a transference event from pigs to humans we get very concerned," said Ostroff. "There is the potential that these viruses could start spreading widely between humans, but right now there's no evidence for that."

The investigation will continue, but in the meantime, to avoid the swine flu, both Krepps and Ostroff told 6 News they recommend the same steps be taken when avoiding any other virus: Simply wash your hands, especially after touching livestock.

This flu strain is not considered life threatening, but it can pose extra problems for the elderly and those with weak immune systems. Anyone who thinks they may be infected should immediately see a doctor.