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New 'K Subclade' flu variant causes severe illness in US, doctors issue major warning: Here's which states are affected
A mutated H3N2 influenza A strain, known as subclade K, is causing significant flu activity in the US, surpassing early seasonal thresholds.
K Subclade, a mutated strain of the influenza A H3N2 virus. is causing a significant increase in flu cases throughout the US, raising concerns among medical professionals as winter approaches.
Health experts stated that this new variant, referred to as subclade K, has already led to early and severe flu seasons in regions of Asia, Australia, and Europe, and the United States may now be witnessing the onset of a similar trend.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu activity surpassed a critical threshold in early December. For the week ending December 6, 3.2 percent of doctor visits across the nation were attributed to flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, or sore throat. This percentage exceeds the national baseline established by experts to signify the beginning of flu season.
“This is the signal that flu season is officially underway,” stated Dr. Caitlin Rivers, who leads the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
In a discussion with Fox News Digital, Dr. Neil Maniar, a professor of public health practice at Northeastern University in Boston, provided insights regarding the initial severity of this new strain.
“It’s becoming evident that this is a pretty severe variant of the flu. Certainly in other parts of the world where this variant has been prevalent, it's caused some severe illness, and we're seeing an aggressive flu season already.”
New 'K Subclade' flu variant: What are the symptoms?
The variant appears to be different from earlier flu strains, with intensified versions of common symptoms like fever, chills, headache, exhaustion, cough, sore throat, and runny nose.
Maniar suggested that Subclade K represents the “perfect storm” for a particularly severe flu season, as vaccination rates are typically on the decline and this year's vaccine does not specifically address this strain.
The expert further suggests seeking testing from a healthcare professional if a person is unsure about their diagnosis or health condition. Some medical professionals may be able to recommend drugs that can lessen the severity and duration of the sickness.
Major surge in flu cases in US
In its recent update, the CDC states that at least 14 public health jurisdictions are currently reporting moderate to high levels of flu activity. A significant portion of this activity is focused in the Northeast. New York City is facing extremely high levels, while both New York and New Jersey are categorized as high.
There is a moderate level of activity observed in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
In addition to Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, and Idaho, regions such as Louisiana and Colorado are experiencing a significant increase in flu infections.
This week also marked a tragic milestone: the first reported child death in the United States this season attributed to the flu.
What is subclade K? Here's what US Laboratory data said
Laboratory data collected from various locations in the US says that the majority of flu viruses examined this season are classified as subclade K, which is a mutated variant of the H3N2 strain of influenza A. Historically, H3N2 seasons are linked to more severe illnesses, especially among the elderly.
A health alert from New York stated, “Seasons dominated by influenza A(H3) often result in more people seeking medical care and higher rates of hospitalisation.”
Other countries are seeing similar patterns. Japan, China, the UK and Canada have all reported busy flu seasons. Australia, where subclade K was first identified, recorded nearly half a million confirmed flu cases, breaking records set just a year earlier.
