Flu activity is ramping up early this year. Is a mutated H1N1 strain to blame?

Flu activity is rising unusually early this season, prompting concerns that a mutated H1N1 strain may be driving the surge. Health officials point to vaccination clinics, such as the one at Chicago’s Pullman Community Center, where nurses administer shots to the public. The early spread underscores the importance of timely immunization and surveillance for evolving influenza variants.