Ganas Flu Spreads In Canada, UK And Japan
JAKARTA - Health officials are closely monitoring the spread of flu strains that trigger early and severe outbreaks in Canada, Britain, and Japan. This condition raises concerns about its impact in the United States.
This type of flu is a mutated version of H3N2 which was first detected this summer. The virus spreads rapidly and is associated with rising hospitalization rates.
"Since it emerged, this virus has spread rapidly and dominated in a number of countries in the northern hemisphere," said the head of the WHO Global Respiratory Threat Unit, Dr. Wenqing Zhang, at a press conference reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Thursday, November 13.
Experts warn the new strain carries a number of mutations that make it different from the H3N2 component in this year's flu vaccine.
"This virus is quite different from the types of H3N2 used in vaccines this year," said Antonia Ho, a consultant for infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Head of the UK National Health Service (NHS), James Mackey, said flu cases in the UK were recorded three times higher than the same period last year.
In Canada, the increase in flu cases also occurred earlier, said University of Saskatchewan virologist Angela Rasmussen.
Meanwhile in Japan, flu cases in Tokyo were almost six times higher than last year in the same period, so more than 2,300 schools and child care centers suspended some activities, Nippon TV reported.
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It remains unclear to what extent the spread of the strain is in other regions, including the United States.
Although cases of type A flu have been reported, comprehensive national data are not yet available due to a shortage of personnel at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Although this year's flu vaccine does not fully match the mutated H3N2 variant, experts still advocate annual vaccinations as vaccines are designed to reduce the severity of symptoms and prevent hospitalization.
Preliminary evidence from the UK suggests the current vaccine can still provide up to 40 percent effectiveness in preventing adults from being hospitalized.