These are the states seeing the biggest impact from the flu tearing across the nation
What to know about the new flu variant spreading rapidly across the US
- A new, highly contagious flu variant, subclade K of the H3N2 strain, is causing a surge in severe symptoms and hospitalizations across the U.S.
- Experts warn this strain is hitting both children and adults hard, with symptoms including very high fevers (up to 105 degrees), persistent cough, vomiting, diarrhea and severe body aches.
- Dr Juanita Mora highlights three critical warning signs for the K variant: a high fever that does not break, signs of shortness of breath and dehydration, especially dangerous for children and the elderly.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a significant increase in respiratory illness-related medical visits, with New York, New Jersey, Rhose Island, Louisiana and Colorado experiencing "very high" case numbers.
- Despite the current vaccine not being specifically calibrated for subclade K, experts like Dr Neil Maniar strongly recommend vaccination as it can still limit the severity of symptoms if infected.