With the holiday season approaching, a powerful “super flu” outbreak has been declared in the Washington area, including Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. According to data from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the national flu-related hospitalization rate had soared by 14.3%.<\/p>\n
In particular, the number of people visiting emergency rooms and general hospitals due to flu symptoms has increased significantly in the Washington area, placing a strain on the local healthcare system. Health authorities are currently experiencing the fastest spread of the flu, centred around New York, Colorado, and Louisiana, and warn that the outbreak could continue until February of next year, when it peaks.<\/p>\n
The primary culprit in this flu outbreak is a subclade K strain of influenza A, and initial sample analysis indicates that this variant accounts for 90% of confirmed influenza A cases.<\/p>\n
Medical experts advise getting vaccinated now, even though the flu vaccine distributed this year does not fully protect against this variant, as it provides immunity against influenza A. They recommend vaccination to prevent severe illness.<\/p>\n
The main symptoms of this flu include high fever, chills, cough, sore throat, muscle pain, and extreme fatigue. Some patients may also experience vomiting or diarrhoea<\/p>\n
Experts advise that anyone experiencing symptoms should immediately seek medical attention, stating, “Most people recover within a few days, but for the elderly or those with underlying medical conditions, it can lead to life-threatening complications such as pneumonia.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"