Flu Season Update
When does the flu season start?
In the northern hemisphere, the flu season typically runs from mid-November to mid-February, although it can begin as early as October and extend into May. Health officials define the start of the season as the point when 10% of suspected cases test positive for the flu. as of early November, 11% of cases in England were positive, compared to 3% at the same time last year, indicating the season started four to five weeks earlier than usual.
What is causing this year’s outbreak?
Multiple flu types circulate annually. Seasonal flu is caused by influenza A and influenza B viruses, with common subtypes of influenza A being H1N1 and H3N2.Currently,a form of H3N2 is dominant in the UK. This virus originates from a strain that caused Australia’s worst flu season on record. As then, it has acquired seven new mutations, resulting in a “drifted” strain of H3N2, named subclade K. These mutations are believed to accelerate its spread, though it doesn’t appear to cause more severe illness.
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