A new flu strain is rising around the US – and it’s more severe for children

A new flu strain is rising in states across the country – and it’s worse for children.

An increasing number of flu samples are coming back positive for highly contagious influenza B, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Influenza B shares a lot of similarities with influenza A – which is responsible for most cases seen since the season’s start last fall – but can lead to more seizures, vomiting and diarrhea in children, according to Cleveland Clinic Infectious disease doctor Sherif Mossad.

It also tends to be more common in children, although children aren’t the only group that may suffer worse effects.

“Generally speaking, older adults are more likely to experience complications from both types of flu viruses,” the National Council on Aging says.

The majority of cases each flu season are influenza A, but flu B often surges following the strain’s peak in the late-winter months.

Influenza B made up nearly a quarter of cases tested in nationwide labs during the last week of January, the most recent data shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The flu season typically peaks between December and February, but runs from October to May.

UC San Francisco infectious disease specialist Monica Gandhi warned that activity is not over. “This could lead to a whole new wave of influenza cases,” she told SFGate.

Levels of hospitalizations, cases and deaths have been oscillating in recent weeks, according to the ’s FluView report.

Now, seven states are shown with the highest levels of flu activity: Oregon, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee.

This year has already been historic for flu activity. There have been 22 million cases and 12,000 deaths so far, including 60 children.

Influenza B can also lead to complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, heart disease, respiratory failure and brain swelling, according to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Typical symptoms include fever, body aches, chills and more gastrointestinal issues than influenza A.

The best way to protect kids from severe illness is to ensure that they are vaccinated.

Around 90 percent of those who have died due to the flu this year have been unvaccinated.