Flu cases surge as doctors warn of fast-spreading influenza A mutation
Doctors at the DC Public Health Laboratory are working around the clock testing diseases that could pose a broader public health threat.
(CNN)- Doctors at the DC Public Health Laboratory are working around the clock testing diseases that could pose a broader public health threat, often operating behind the scenes until an emergency arises.
Dr. Jocelyn Hauser, director of the DC Public Health Laboratory, says doctors’ offices and hospitals nationwide routinely send patient swabs to the lab for analysis. Those samples are logged into the lab’s system and the results are then shared with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for national monitoring.
This year, the CDC is sounding the alarm over a sharp rise in influenza cases. New data released Friday shows at least 4.6 million flu cases nationwide so far this season, leading to 49,000 hospitalizations and 1,900 deaths across the United States. Health officials say the surge is being driven by a subclade K-A mutation of influenza A, now the dominant strain circulating.
Professor Andrew Pekosz of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says the mutation appears to be evading population immunity, making more people susceptible to infection. While doctors and the CDC continue to stress that the flu vaccine remains the best protection, Pekosz warns the current strain may partially bypass vaccine-induced defenses.
With millions of Americans preparing to travel and gather for the holidays, health experts fear flu cases could spike further in the coming weeks. The virus is already surging globally, with children, adults 65 and older, and people with underlying medical conditions facing the highest risk of severe illness.
Medical professionals are urging everyone six months and older to get the flu vaccine and to take precautions as the busy holiday season gets underway.
