A new flu variant is creating surging cases earlier than expected and causing severe illness, experts warn. What you need to know.
Yahoo••general
Key Points:
- A new influenza strain, influenza A H3N2 subclade K variant, is rapidly spreading across the U.S. and globally, causing an 8.1% increase in positive flu tests and a rise in hospitalizations, especially from the inland western states to the Northeast.
- Experts predicted a more severe flu season due to genetic changes in the virus that increase infectivity, with the Southern Hemisphere's recent record flu cases, such as in Australia, serving as a warning amid vaccine hesitancy.
- Flu symptoms include fever, muscle aches, cough, headache, exhaustion, and sometimes gastrointestinal issues; sudden onset differentiates it from a common cold, and antiviral medications can shorten illness duration if prescribed.
- The current flu vaccine offers protection
