The NHS is bracing for one of its worst winters on record as a surge in flu cases puts pressure on GP surgeries, hospitals and ambulance services. The dominant strain, Ah3n2 K, accounts for 90% of UK cases and is spreading faster and earlier than usual due to mutations.
Vaccines are proving less effective against this variant than hoped, raising concerns about the severity of the season. The flu season is also well under way in continental Europe, where the same strain is emerging as the force behind a new wave of infections.
Health officials are monitoring the situation closely as the variant continues to spread across the continent, adding to the strain on healthcare systems already dealing with other winter pressures.
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