A mutated strain of the H1N1 flu virus, which caused a pandemic in 2009 and infected around 60 million people in the US, has emerged this flu season, prompting doctors to urge the public to get vaccinated.
The new strain, named G155E, has led to health warnings as flu activity begins to rise earlier than expected. Experts have highlighted that one group in particular could be hit especially hard by the virus.
Doctors Warn of Risk to Younger People
Dr Jennifer Duchon, a paediatric infectious disease expert at Mount Sinai Children's Hospital in New York, has warned that the G155E strain could pose a larger threat to young people. She said: "What people are a bit worried about is that the H1N1 strain this year hasn't been seen by a lot of younger folk, so it may be more severe in them."
The 2009 swine flu pandemic hospitalised 240,000 people and was linked to 12,400 deaths in the US. Doctors have warned that those previously infected by H1N1, either through infection or vaccination, may not be completely protected against the new strain.
Early Surge in Flu Cases
The flu season traditionally starts around October, with infection rates peaking from December to February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, CDC data has revealed that flu activity has started to rise and infection rates are already creeping up.
Dr Helen Chu, professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington, said the flu had arrived "a little bit earlier than we would've expected." She explained: "In Seattle and in Washington state, we usually see flu peak in December or January, but this year we're seeing cases quite early."
Vaccination Advice Changes
Traditionally, experts have urged people to get their flu jabs at around the end of October. However, Chu has stated she thinks people should get vaccinated as soon as possible, saying: "I would actually change that this year because of the fact that flu is circulating so early, and recommend that people actually get their flu vaccines now … it is looking like we're seeing a very, very early surge, and if you get vaccinated now, you can be protected."
Experts believe H1N1 will be the main strain of flu this year after the virus dominated both the 2023 and 2024 flu seasons. Symptoms of H1N1 include a sudden fever, tiredness, arching muscles, headaches and joint pain.
