This season's influenza virus is clearly extra potent and extra dangerous.
Since October, 42 people under the age of 65 have already died.
People are becoming infected at extremely high rates, and the symptoms they are experiencing are even more harsh than a typical flu.
The reason?
H3N2.
H3N2 is an influenza A strain that is making its way through California and ravaging every community as it goes.
Now, influenza strains run rampant all the time, and hospitals and doctors are able to handle it.
With H3N2, though, things are different.
With H3N2, hospitals are at war, and they are setting up the triage tents for it.
Not only are they setting up tents in parking lots, but hospitals are also refusing some ambulances and flying in nurses from other states.
Michelle Gunnett is a nurse who oversees emergency services for a Southern California hospital system.
She said, "Those are all creative things we wouldn’t typically do, but in a crisis like this, we’re looking at."
Dr. James McKinnell, an infectious disease specialist at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, said, "There’s a little bit of a feeling of being in the trenches. We’re really battling these infections to try to get them under control. We’re still not sure if this is going to continue … but it certainly is an inauspicious start.”
Although this year's flu shot only has about a thirty percent effectiveness rate, doctors are still suggesting you get it, if you haven't already.
Read the full story at Los Angeles Times