Winter brings with it flu season, and this year, a dramatic increase in flu cases.

The CT Mirror recently reported that "flu cases in Connecticut have increased dramatically over the last month, and health officials say the surge in illnesses is happening earlier this season.

"For the week ending November 29, 831 cases were reported. A month later, during the week ending Dec 27, the state recorded 4,755 cases.

"The numbers are far higher than what was reported in December of last year. During the final week of 2024, the state logged 611 flu cases."

The CT Mirror story, which can be found at ctmirror.org/2026/01/07/ct-flu-cases-hospitalizations-rising, said that hospitalizations are also on the rise: "Seventy-three were reported during the week that ended on Nov 29; a month later, the state reported 432 hospitalizations."

According to the article, health officials say the rise in cases and hospitalizations is being driven by a new flu variant known as subclade K.

There are two subtypes of Type A flu, and subclade K is a mutated version of one of them, called H3N2. The H3N2 strain is harsh, especially for older adults.

The symptoms of subclade K are similar to other variants. They include fever, body aches, sore throat, lethargy and sometimes vomiting and abdominal pain.

Newtown Health District has this to say about flu season:

"Stop the germs. Sick people should be avoided. If you are sick, stay home. If you are healthy, avoid sick people. Wash hands often. Cover nose and mouth with tissue when coughing [and] sneezing and then throw it out. Wash hands, wash hands, wash hands! Avoid touching eyes, nose, mouth.

"Take antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them. They work best if started within 2 days of illness onset. Call your primary care doctor to see what is best for you.

"Maintain your health. Do everything you can to maintain or improve your health. The healthier you are the more resistant your body is to disease. Adopting healthy behaviors such as getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, eating nutritious food and avoiding tobacco can prevent or reduce the damage done by many illnesses, including influenza. Be good to yourself and take care of your body."

Newtown Health District also recommends getting flu vaccinations, but free vaccination clinics for this year have already occurred. Those interested can seek vaccinations from their doctors or by appointment at local pharmacies.

Stay healthy!