Flu infections on the rise in Windsor region

A particularly aggressive strain of the flu that hit the Windsor region in 2015 has returned this year, say health officials.

Every laboratory confirmed case has been the influenza virus H3N2, which is considered to be more powerful than other strains, such as H1N1, according to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

"We have increasednumbers each and every day. We have increased outbreak in the community," said Lora Piccinin, manager of infectious disease prevention at the health unit. "Activity is definitely on the rise."

The H3N2 strain is particularly harmful for seniors and young children and has resulted in more hospitalizations and an increase in pneumoniacases when when comparingnumbers to last year, Piccinin explained.

H3N2also strikes at a different time of year, with a spike of cases occurring in January. Last year, with H1N1, the spike in numbers occurred in March.