Emerging Health Concerns Amid Flu Season: New K Variant

Health officials are urging vaccinations as flu season begins to ramp up. With winter nearly here and holiday celebrations ramping up, the Oregon Health Authority reports that 58.2% of positive tests analyzed at the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory have been the A H3N2 type of influenza virus, compared to 41.2% for H1N1.

The concerning news is that a mutation of the H3N2 strain, known as subclade K, has become the most prevalent this year, accounting for 89% of H3N2 viruses collected and analyzed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since late September.

The World Health Organization reported that subclade K has been detected in at least 34 countries in the past six months. Although it remains unclear how effective this year's flu vaccine will be against subclade K, health experts emphasize the importance of flu shots.

Vaccinations can reduce the severity of illness, protect against other strains, and help reduce overall spread. Dr. Howard Chiou of the Oregon Health Authority stated that it is not too late to get your flu shot, especially before the upcoming holidays.

The CDC recommends flu vaccines annually for anyone 6 months or older. Nearly 1 million Oregonians had been vaccinated as of early this month, though that number is about 5% lower than at the same time last year, continuing a trend of declining flu vaccine rates in recent years.

Flu cases in the United States have remained low so far, with high rates reported in only four states: Colorado, Louisiana, New Jersey, and New York. However, cases are on the rise before an expected peak in early spring, with the OHA recording 63 hospitalizations associated with influenza in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties since the flu season began on October 1.