H3N2 spurt: As cases rise, know who are in the high risk groups (and the symptoms seen during infection)

A 4 year old girl from Jharkhand's Ranchi is the second confirmed case of H3N2 virus infection in the state, reports have said.


The girl showed symptoms of cough, cold, fever, and pneumonia, Dr Rajesh Kumar told TOI. "Her samples were sent to a private laboratory for tests where it was confirmed that she had the viral infection, " the doctor told the media.


The girl is currently under isolation and is on oxygen support but her health condition is stable, reports have said.

The H3N2 virus has claimed 9 lives in the country so far. The impact of the viral infection is seen in young and old people in the same manner.


The viral infection spreads through the respiratory air droplets released by an infected individual.


Health experts have warned that the viral infection can have a damaging impact on those who are in the vulnerable group.

Though everyone is susceptible to the virus, there are people who are at higher risk of developing complications in case they get infected with the seasonal flu.


People who are more than 65 years of age.


Pregnant women are at higher risk of developing complications.


People who have certain health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, weakened immune systems, and neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions are also likely to develop health issues due to H3N2 infection, health agencies have said.

Yes, they are.


Children younger than 5years of age are vulnerable to the complications developed after H3N2 infection.


The US CDC explains why kids are at a higher risk. "Studies conducted by CDC and others have indicated that children born after 2001 (age ≤9 years at 2010) have little to no immunity against H3N2v viruses. Adults seem to have more immunity, perhaps because they might have been previously exposed to similar viruses in their lifetimes," it says.

Those infected with H3N2 show symptoms like common cold.


As seen in the recent case of the 4 year old kid from Jharkhand, the symptoms were cough, cold, and fever. The girl also showed signs of pneumonia which are sweating, shaking chills, shortness of breath, stabbing chest pain, low energy, fatigue, and loss of appetite.


In pneumonia, the patient might produce a cough which is greenish, yellow or bloody mucus. Shallow breathing and wheezing is also seen in this viral respiratory illness.

For the safety of others, it is imperative to know when a person is highly contagious.


As per health reports, those with flu infection are contagious one day before they start showing the symptoms. The reports suggest that while some people tend to remain contagious for a longer duration, infants and those with a compromised immune system remain infectious for even longer duration. Otherwise, people remain contagious for the first 3-4 days of their illness.

​India sees a jump in COVID XBB 1.16 cases, H3N2 scare looms high: Know the symptoms and how to prevent these viral attacks​