Severe H3N2 Flu Strain Sparks Global Concern
Officials are particularly concerned about the potential consequences if it reaches the United States.
This strain, a mutated form of H3N2 first identified this summer, has spread quickly and is associated with a surge in hospital admissions.
“Since it emerged, it’s rapidly spreading and predominating in some countries so far in the Northern Hemisphere,” Dr. Wenqing Zhang, director of the World Health Organization’s Global Respiratory Threats Unit, explained during a briefing.
Specialists caution that this variant carries several mutations, making it distinct from the H3N2 portion of this year’s seasonal influenza vaccine.
“The virus is quite different from the H3N2 strain included in this year’s vaccine,” noted Antonia Ho, an infectious disease consultant at Scotland’s University of Glasgow.
The UK is currently seeing flu cases that are three times higher than at this same point last year, James Mackey, chief of the National Health Service, reported.
Canada is similarly facing an early increase in infections, according to virologist Angela Rasmussen of the University of Saskatchewan.
In Japan, influenza incidences in Tokyo have surged to nearly six times the level recorded last year, leading to partial closures at over 2,300 schools and daycare facilities, a media outlet reported.
It is still uncertain how widely the strain has spread in other regions, including the United States.
While some flu A cases have been documented, comprehensive nationwide data are limited due to staffing shortages at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
