Flu vaccine stock photo

Stock image. 

The next two weeks may see a dramatic increase in the number of flu cases following the holiday season. 

According to a story by WSFA, Dr. Stephen Lawrence, who is a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Washington University School of Medicine, says a mutated variant of influenza could cause a spike to happen. 

The variant is called subclass K or K flu. Due to its mutation it will be more difficult for vaccines to be resistant to it, though Lawrence encouraged taking it. 

The CDC has reported an estimated 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths throughout the nation so far.

Medical experts will monitor data in the post-holiday weeks to determine if the flu season this year becomes worse than usual. 

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