Flu under control in Europe and US
Europe's flu season got off to an early start, according to surveys released on Friday, but the vaccine matches the circulating virus well. The US flu season, which typically starts several weeks earlier, has been mild so far and has not risen to epidemic levels, which suggests an average season for Europe as well. Eight US children infected with influenza have died since it began in October.
The influenza virus evolves and mutates every year, but so far the three main strains that are circulating are those that have been expected and were used in this year's vaccines, according to the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."The dominant virus that we are seeing in the European influenza system is the A H3 virus, which we know from experience is a more virulent virus than last year's B virus," said Koos van der Velden, chairman of the surveillance program.The current vaccine protects against the H3 virus, as well as another influenza A virus called H1, and the influenza B virus. Similar activity has been seen in the United States.
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