Flu activity in China is trending upward, with three influenza strains circulating simultaneously, according to the latest surveillance results released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday.
The China CDC said that the H3N2 strain and the H1N1 strain of the influenza A virus and the influenza B virus are spreading at the same time, with the proportion of H1N1 infections rising.
Flu activity in northern provinces is at a low level but climbing fast, while that in southern provinces is at a moderate level. The flu positivity rate among those aged 5 to 14 is higher than in other age groups.
For the week from Nov 2 to 8, the flu positivity rate of influenza-like illnesses at sentinel hospitals was the highest among all respiratory diseases, followed by rhinoviruses.
Wang Dayan, a researcher from the China CDC, said during a news conference on Friday that the peak season for flu and other respiratory infectious diseases runs from November to March.
She suggested that key groups — including infants and children, the elderly, chronic disease patients, and personnel at schools, nursery care and elderly care homes and hospitals — get flu vaccinations promptly.
"Now is the golden period for getting a flu vaccine, and the earlier you get vaccinated, the better," Wang said.
