New Delhi, Oct. 3 -- New Delhi: Is flu rampant at your home and neighborhood? You are not alone. India is witnessing a surge in influenza cases this year with data from hospitals across the country showing that one in four people sampled have tested positive for the virus.

A 25% positivity rate is considered high for seasonal influenza in India and indicates a widespread outbreak. The high positivity rate can be directly linked to the rapid spread and virulence of the latest H3N2 strain, which is currently the dominant circulating subtype of the virus.

Of the 100,000 samples collected between January till September, some 25,000 cases were confirmed as flu, per data from hospitals uploaded to the central government's Integrated Health In...