New H3N2 Flu Strain

That’s not all that’s new on the flu front.

The Marquette County Health Department says a new strain of the influenza ‘A’ virus has shown up within the last 6 months.

But it apparently hasn’t made its way to Michigan yet.

It’s being called the H3N2 virus.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control have reported 11 cases of H3N2 since July.

Again, none of those cases have been in Michigan.

But those cases in other states suggest it may be possible for H3N2 to be transmitted from person to person.

The Marquette County Health Department says its counterpart at the state level is asking all health care providers, hospitals and labs to test all patients with a flu–like illness for H3N2.

The Michigan Department of Community Health is asking for all positive specimens to be sent to them.