A new flu variant is creating surging cases earlier than expected and causing severe illness, experts warn. What you need to know.
Yahoo••health
Key Points:
- A new influenza A H3N2 subclade K variant is spreading rapidly in the U.S. and globally, causing an 8.1% increase in positive flu tests and rising hospitalizations, especially from the inland western states to the Northeast.
- Experts had anticipated a more severe flu season due to genetic changes in the virus, with the Southern Hemisphere's recent record flu cases, particularly in Australia, serving as a warning.
- Flu symptoms include fever, muscle aches, cough, headache, exhaustion, and sometimes gastrointestinal issues; sudden onset of symptoms is a key indicator distinguishing flu from a common cold.
- The current flu vaccine does not fully match the new strain but remains important for preventing severe illness and other circulating flu variants
