SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — The flu is spreading rapidly across the country, including in Northeast Ohio. Health officials warn that a new strain of Influenza A is driving the surge.
The strain is called "Subclade K," also known as the super flu right now. In Summit County, 80% of people who have the flu have this variant.
"Subclade K is the big buzzword, that is the new variant that has sort of drifted from the original vaccine production," said Erika Sobolewski, medical director, Summit County Public Health.
With all the respiratory viruses making the rounds, you might wonder if you have the flu. Health officials say the strain's symptoms hit hard and fast.
"Flu tends to appear suddenly, where cold symptoms tend to develop a little more gradually. Flu symptoms generally worse. We try to power through with colds but flu sometimes will knock you and you just aren't going to be able to get out of bed," said Sobolewski.
It's not just here in Ohio, the CDC reports 11 million cases of the flu across the country, 120,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths.
In Cuyahoga County, the Department of Health said flu cases have spiked, leading to long wait times at emergency departments.
Despite the superflu variant, health officials still urge everyone to get the flu shot. The shot can lessen symptoms and still provides good protection against H1N1 and Influenza B strains.
On Wednesday, the Ohio Department of Public Health plans to hold a press conference to discuss the high levels of flu across the state.
