A highly contagious new strain of influenza, known as “Subclade K,” is causing a sharp rise in respiratory illnesses across the United States, prompting health officials to issue urgent warnings. Holiday travel is contributing to the increased spread of the infection.
A Deadly Winter Season
According to a report on the “Medical Xpress” website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported high or very high levels of illness in more than half of U.S. states. By late December, the agency estimates the season had already seen 7.5 million cases of illness, 81,000 hospitalizations, and 3,100 deaths, including eight children. New York has been hit particularly hard, recording 71,000 cases in a single week—the highest number the state has recorded since 2004.
The “Shape-Shifting” Strain
Subclade K is a mutated version of the H3N2 strain, which is known for causing severe outbreaks, especially among the elderly. While it is not an entirely new type of flu, its mutations allow it to bypass some existing immunity.
Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, noted that the mutations are “different enough to dodge some of the protection provided by this year’s vaccine.” Experts are currently monitoring whether this strain is inherently more dangerous or simply more transmissible.
Vaccination and Prevention
Despite this mutation, health experts emphasize that the current vaccine remains a critical tool. Preliminary data from the United Kingdom suggests that although the vaccine is not perfectly effective against Subclade K, it provides partial protection and significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization.
Currently, only 42% of the U.S. population has received the vaccine. Officials are urging everyone aged six months and older to get vaccinated.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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