Flu is rising rapidly, driven by a new variant. Here's what to know
Los Angeles Times••general
Key Points:
- Flu cases in the U.S. are rising rapidly due to a new variant called subclade K, with over half the states reporting high or very high illness levels, and the CDC estimating at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations, and 3,100 deaths so far this season.
- Subclade K is a mutated version of the H3N2 flu strain, known for causing severe illness, especially in older adults, and while this variant partially evades the vaccine, preliminary data suggests the current flu shot still offers some protection against hospitalization.
- New York recently recorded its highest weekly flu cases since 2004, highlighting the severity of the outbreak, although it remains too early to determine if this
