New Flu Strain Sparks Global Health Alarm

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Istanbul: Health officials are closely monitoring a mutated flu strain that has triggered unusually early and severe outbreaks in Canada, the UK, and Japan, raising concerns about its potential spread to the United States, according to an NBC report on Wednesday.

The strain — a modified version of H3N2 first detected this summer — has spread rapidly and is being linked to rising hospitalizations. “Since it emerged, it’s rapidly spreading and predominating in some countries in the Northern Hemisphere,” said Dr. Wenqing Zhang, head of the World Health Organization’s Global Respiratory Threats Unit.

Experts warn the strain carries multiple mutations that distinguish it significantly from the H3N2 component included in this year’s seasonal flu vaccine. “The virus is quite different from the H3N2 strain included in this year’s vaccine,” said Antonia Ho, an infectious disease consultant at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

The UK is reporting flu cases three times higher than the same period last year, according to James Mackey, head of the National Health Service. Canada is also facing an unusually early surge, said virologist Angela Rasmussen of the University of Saskatchewan.

In Japan, flu cases in Tokyo are nearly six times higher than last year, prompting partial closures at more than 2,300 schools and day care centers, Nippon TV reported.

It remains unclear how widely the strain has spread in other countries, including the United States. While flu A cases have been recorded, national data remain limited due to staffing shortages at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Despite the mismatch between the vaccine and the new strain, experts strongly encourage vaccination, noting that the seasonal flu shot still reduces severe illness and hospitalizations. Preliminary data from the UK suggest this year’s vaccine may still be up to 40% effective at preventing hospitalization in adults.