A new strain of the flu is causing concerns for the rest of the winter season.
The new strain, called subclade K, has made its way to the U.S. after spreading quickly through countries such as the UK, Canada and Japan.
It is a mutated strain of influenza A H3N2, which has already shown resistance to current vaccines, health officials say.
H3N2 symptoms include fever, chills, body aches, headache, extreme fatigue, congestion or runny nose, and coughing.
While overall influenza activity across the U.S. remains relatively low, it is increasing among children and young adults, according to the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Peak influenza activity in the U.S. is usually between December and February with some viruses active through early spring, per the CDC.
Receiving an influenza vaccine is the best action to prevent the virus and serious complications, especially for high-risk populations such as older adults, very young children, pregnant people, and those with chronic conditions.
The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older receive a flu vaccine. The effectiveness of the vaccine varies depending on how closely the virus strains in the vaccine match those currently circulating.
According to Today.com, scientists caught the H3N2 subclade K too late to update the vaccine for this season. Although the vaccine is not an exact match, experts say it will still offer protection against the influenza virus.
