Locations:
SearchAn infectious disease specialist explains why flu cases seem to be on the rise and offers tips on when to seek medical care for your symptoms.
Cleveland Clinic News Service | 216.444.0141
We’re available to shoot custom interviews & b-roll for media outlets upon request.
For download password, contact ccnewsservice@ccf.org.
CLEVELAND - Now that the holidays are over, more cases of the flu are being reported.
And on top of that, a highly contagious strain is circulating.
“We have one particular strain, which has been dubbed ‘subclade K’, which has really taken off. Probably the reason for that is that it's an H3N2 strain, which is typically a little bit more severe, a little more contagious than the other strains,” said Donald Dumford, MD, infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Dumford said this year’s flu vaccine isn’t a good match for that strain either, which could also be contributing to the spread.
So, what are the symptoms of this specific strain?
He said they typically include cough, sore throat, fever, runny nose, chills and body aches.
Most people can recover at home with supportive care.
However, in more severe cases, a person may need to be hospitalized.
Dr. Dumford said the following groups should let their physician know if they have contracted the flu.
“I always recommend to people that if you do have a bad immune system, if you're elderly, if you have heart problems, lung problems, even things like cirrhosis, anything affecting your immune system, if you are sick with a fever, it's a good idea to check in with your physician, especially with the flu or also with COVID. We can give you medication earlier on, which can help slow down the process and keep you from getting as severe,” said Dr. Dumford.
He adds that while this year’s flu vaccine isn’t a good match for that particular strain, it can still help reduce the severity of illness.
He recommends getting vaccinated if you haven’t already.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
Editor’s Note: Cleveland Clinic News Service is available to provide broadcast-quality interviews and B-roll upon request.
