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Austria is facing an unusually early start to the flu season, driven by the highly contagious A(H3N2) virus variant of the subclade K.
Virologists had already warned in recent weeks that influenza activity was rising faster than usual. Now, the data confirms it: the flu season has arrived about a month earlier than in previous years, with infections expected to peak right around the Christmas holidays — both in workplaces and at family gatherings.
Clinical samples across Germany show a sharp rise in detections. “Last week, influenza viruses were found in more than 20 percent of sentinel samples. This clearly marks the beginning of the flu season in Austria,” explains Monika Redlberger-Fritz, virologist at MedUni Vienna. She notes that the season’s early onset is striking compared to past years.
The surge is largely fueled by the new A(H3N2) variant. According to the national influenza reference laboratory, this strain now accounts for two-thirds of all confirmed cases.
Experts caution that the variant spreads more easily because it can partially bypass vaccine protection. “That doesn’t mean the vaccines are useless,” Redlberger-Fritz stresses. “We may see more breakthrough infections, but vaccination still offers strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and complications.”
- Hector Pascua with reports from heute.at/picture: Image by Augusto Ordóñez from Pixabay
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