The recent canine influenza outbreak that apparently spread from the Midwest to at least 12 states has been identified as a new viral strain from Asia. Veterinary researchers from Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory have determined a canine respiratory virus found in China and South Korea, H3N2, is to blame for nearly 2,000 reported cases in the U.S. H3N2 is not known to be contagious to humans, although cats may be at risk for contracting the respiratory infection. This is the first time the Asian virus has been identified in the U.S.