Influenza subclade K – the “Super Flu”
Image: IMAGO / Steinach
Image: IMAGO / Steinach
Scientists refer to it as H3N2 subclade K, while tabloid media call it the “Super Flu.” The virus isn’t more dangerous, but it is more contagious: In random samples, nine out of eleven contained precisely this variant. Over 40 percent of all respiratory infections are now attributed to it.
Its trick: It barely recognizes ordinary antibodies, which is why even vaccinated people cannot rely on 100 percent protection. This leads to rapid transmission rates – and headlines that keep the country on edge.
