Graphic courtesy of CDC

The flu is back in a new form to start the new year. The new flu season is a mismatch, as the new strain’s vaccination was found after the first case was made known. Influenza A virus subtype H3N2 has a newer variant called Subclade K. The symptoms are the same as the typical flu, but now the new strain is causing more severe illness, especially seen in children.

There have been an estimated 18 million cases across the United States along with 230,000 hospitalizations and 2,300 deaths, according to the CDC. There have been 32 pediatric deaths this flu season with over 90% of the reported deaths among children who had not been fully vaccinated against the new strain of influenza.

Within South Carolina, the new variant outbreak has the state ranked in the bottom five states in severity of flu diagnosis in the country this flu season with over 12,000 cases and 735 hospitalizations at the end of December.

Doctors are recommending for people to conduct frequent handwashing, covering of coughs and sneezes and keeping young kids home if they have symptoms that are prolonged or caused by the new variant, in an effort to slow the spread.