Super flu cases surge as Minnesota child care payments are halted.

A mutated H3N2 ‘‘super flu’’ variant is spreading quickly and has increased hospital strain, with young children and older adults among those most affected. Federal child care payments to Minnesota were frozen amid a fraud probe and payments remain paused while investigators review the matter.

A fast-spreading variant of Influenza A, described as a super flu, is driving rising case counts this season. Older adults and people with chronic conditions are at higher risk of hospitalization, and young children have been hit particularly hard. All federal child care payments to Minnesota were frozen after allegations of fraud drew attention online. Eyewitnesses reported an explosion in northwest Venezuela on Dec. 18, and authorities have not established who was responsible. What we know so far: - A mutated H3N2 strain of Influenza A has become dominant and is reported to be spreading faster than usual this season. - Hospitals report increased strain; older adults, people with chronic illnesses, and children under five are more likely to need care. - Health officials expect cases to rise for several weeks, with illnesses not expected to level off until late January or possibly February. - All federal child care payments to Minnesota were frozen after allegations of fraud circulated in a widely shared video; the FBI has said it increased resources and payments were paused while the inquiry continues. - Residents in Alta Guajira, northwest Venezuela, described a Dec. 18 explosion that damaged a hut and boats; reporting has not established responsibility or a link to U.S. actions. Summary: The new H3N2 variant is increasing pressure on health facilities and is likely to keep case counts elevated for several weeks. The federal freeze on child care payments to Minnesota follows a fraud investigation and payments remain paused while officials review the situation. The cause of the Venezuela explosion is undetermined.