A stark health warning has been issued across the United Kingdom concerning a potentially deadly strain of influenza that could cause significant impact this winter.
An Unusual and Early Start to Flu Season
This year's flu season has begun a full month earlier than typical, catching many by surprise. The alert follows an "urgent SOS" warning from the NHS as cases continue to climb rapidly. The core of the concern lies with the H3N2 seasonal flu strain, which underwent seven significant mutations in June.
Professor Nicola Lewis, from the World Influenza Centre at the Francis Crick Institute, told the BBC: "We haven't seen a virus like this for a while, these dynamics are unusual. It does concern me, absolutely. I'm not panicking, but I am worried." She further cautioned that the H3N2 strain is historically a "nastier virus" with a greater impact on the population.
Rising Cases and Hospital Admissions
The return of pupils to school after the half-term break, combined with colder weather, has triggered a sharp increase in infections. Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirms a surge driven initially by children, which specialists fear will now spread to older, more vulnerable age groups.
Hospital admission rates for flu in England have already reached 3.8 per 100,000 people, a significant jump from 2.4 the previous week. This level is alarming because it is not usually seen until the peak of the season in December. For comparison, at the same point in 2024 the rate was 1.1, and in 2022—the worst flu season for a decade—it was 1.4.
Urgent Call for Vaccination
In response to the escalating situation, the NHS has issued an urgent "flu jab SOS" to the public. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, emphasised that "Older people, babies and young children, pregnant women and those with chronic conditions are all at higher risk of developing complications that may require hospitalisation."
Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Public Health Programmes at UKHSA, provided reassurance about the vaccine's role. She explained that while a 'drifted' H3N2 subtype may become dominant, the flu vaccine contains multiple components. "It typically provides protection against severe clinical disease even when 'drifted' strains are seen," she stated, strongly encouraging all eligible individuals to get vaccinated as soon as possible, calling it the best defence against serious illness.
