A new and highly contagious variant of the flu, named subclade K, is sweeping across the United States, causing more severe symptoms than other strains. The variant, a version of the H3N2 strain, has led to a surge in hospitalisations in multiple states, with experts warning parents to monitor their children's symptoms closely.
Dr Juanita Mora, a spokesperson for the American Lung Association, told NBC’s Telemundo Chicago that the virus is hitting both children and adults hard. Symptoms include very high fevers, a persistent phlegmy cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, and joint and muscle aches. Patients have reported fevers as high as 104 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
A CDC report shows a surge in medical visits for respiratory illness, with New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Louisiana, and Colorado recording 'very high' numbers of outpatient visits. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Idaho, South Carolina, and New Mexico are also seeing a high number of cases. Dr Neil Maniar of Northeastern University warned that the virus has not yet peaked, noting a 114% surge in cases in Boston just before Christmas.
So far, 1,900 people in the US have died from flu infections this year, with 49,000 hospitalised, according to the CDC. Dr Mora identified three key warning signs of infection with the K variant: a high fever that does not break, shortness of breath, and dehydration. She urged people to seek emergency care if they experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, not urinating, severe muscle pain, dizziness, or confusion.
Dr Maniar encouraged people to get the flu vaccine, even though it has not been calibrated for subclade K, as it can limit symptoms. His warning comes amid false claims about vaccines from Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and President Donald Trump. Doctors have slammed the administration's scepticism, with Dr Steven Schulz stating that vaccines are 'incredibly effective and incredibly safe'.
