The influenza virus H3N2 has changes in the surface proteins which means that there is a greater risk of serious illness in Norway, says the National Institute of Public Health.
FHI has been monitoring the flu situation in Norway since week 40, and sends out weekly reports regularly.
In week 43 and in the weeks up to now, FHI has mentioned a “Bangladesh-like virus that is somewhat changed from viruses we have had in Norway before,” writes Dagbladet.
– There are changes in the surface proteins which means that the accumulated protection we have from previous infections with H3N2 flu will not be optimal. This means that more people may become ill and some of them may get serious illness, Kjersti Rydland, head of the influenza vaccination program at FHI, explains to the newspaper.
Most of the flu viruses that have been detected in Europe this autumn appear to be this version of the virus, the weekly report states.
The flu vaccine should continue to be effective against serious illness.
(©NTB)
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