'Super flu' cases surge and Minnesota child care payments come to a halt: Morning Rundown

A new strain of the flu is spiking, the Trump administration freezes child care payments to the state of Minnesota and eyewitnesses recount an explosion in Venezuela that has raised concern over the U.S. military action against the South American country.

In today’s newsletter: A new strain of the flu is spiking. The Trump administration freezes child care payments to the state of Minnesota. And, eyewitnesses recount an explosion in Venezuela that has raised concern over U.S. military action against the South American country.

Here’s what to know today.

Add NBC News to GoogleFlu cases continue to surge across the country02:36A new variant of Influenza A, nicknamed “super flu,” is taking off faster than usual this season.

“Just looking at the trajectory of the curve, it’s really a pretty sharp increase that we’re seeing, and it’s not anywhere close to peaking or leveling off,” said Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, a senior infectious disease physician at Mass General Brigham in Boston.

The dominant, mutated H3N2 strain emerged over the summer and includes changes to a key surface protein that make it harder for the immune system to recognize the virus.