Influenza on the rise in regions across China, dominated by H1N1 virus

Beijing: The spread of influenza has seen an upward trend in multiple provinces across China with outbreaks of the influenza A (H1N1) virus being reported at many schools in several areas.According to the statistics released by the Chinese National Influenza Center (CNIC), the positive rate of influenza virus continued to rise in both southern and northern provinces during the seventh week of 2023, which is consistent with the usual peak of influenza in the winter and spring.The influenza A (H1N1) virus accounted for 71 per cent of the total samples of the influenza virus, making it the most prevalent strain, the report stated.The Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Zhejiang CDC) announced on its official WeChat account on Tuesday that influenza outbreaks have occurred at schools in multiple cities across the province with H1N1 being the predominant virus.The Zhejiang CDC noted that as H1N1 has not been prevalent in the province for nearly three years, the local population is generally susceptible to the virus due to low vaccination rates. Since China downgraded its COVID-19 management on January 8, the increased flow of people and gatherings has also made it easier for the virus to spread, Zhejiang CDC, quoted as saying by Global Times.Moreover, the Zhejiang CDC stated that during the transition from winter to spring, when influenza is prevalent, the risk of cluster outbreaks in crowded areas persists.The Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Beijing CDC) released statistics on Monday indicating that among the prevailing influenza viruses, influenza A has overwhelmingly become the dominant virus, with influenza A (H1N1) accounting for 64 per cent and influenza A (H3N2) accounting for 35 per cent, it reported, adding that Influenza B, on the other hand, only accounts for 1 per cent.Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.