Category: Influenza
Viral outbreaks are always on the horizon – here are the viruses an infectious disease expert is watching in 2026
The Conversation A new year might mean new viral threats. Old viruses are constantly evolving. A warming and increasingly populated planet puts humans in contact with more and different viruses. And increased mobility means that viruses can rapidly travel across the globe along with their human hosts. As an infectious diseases physician and researcher, I’ll be keeping an eye on a […]
Jan 7, 2026
4 child flu deaths reported in Massachusetts: “We are seeing children who are seriously ill”
CBS News Four children have died from the flu in Massachusetts so far this season, public health officials say. The deaths occurred in recent weeks as peak flu season gets underway, according to the Department of Public Health. The Boston Public Health Commission said Tuesday that two of the deaths were children in the city under 2 […]
Jan 7, 2026
Why flu seems to be everywhere — even if ‘super flu’ is not a thing
STAT News Subclade K is making its impact felt. Australia’s 2025 flu season lasted weeks longer than it normally does. Hong Kong’s hit so early that the rollout of seasonal flu shots hadn’t yet started. New York has reported record-breaking flu hospitalizations for the past two weeks. Welcome to the winter of subclade K. Even if you weren’t already aware of […]
Jan 7, 2026
Flu is surging nationwide, and doctors say we’re nowhere near the peak
NBC News The new variant of Influenza A, or H3N2, has been given the nickname ‘super flu.’ The fast-spreading virus has caused hospitalizations to nearly double in a week, the CDC reported. Flu is surging across the U.S., sending thousands more people to the hospital and hitting young children especially hard, as doctors warn the season […]
Dec 30, 2025
Flu cases are surging and rates will likely get worse, new CDC data shows
NPR Flu season is off to a rough start this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the virus arrived as expected, cases are rising faster, compared with previous years. Last week, more than 19,000 patients with influenza were admitted to hospitals, up about 10,000 from the previous week, according to new […]
Dec 30, 2025
New flu strain putting severe pressure on healthcare across Europe, says WHO
Guardian At least 27 of 38 countries in WHO’s European region are reporting high or very high influenza activity, body says. An intense surge in flu cases driven by a newly dominant virus strain is sweeping across Europe, placing healthcare systems in several countries under severe pressure, the World Health Organization has said. The WHO said on […]
Dec 17, 2025
Experts predict this year’s flu season to be worse than usual—here’s why
National Geographic Every year, flu season in North America starts to peak around the holiday season. But this year, doctors and researchers are especially worried. “We will have a significant flu season this year, and we have a lot of concern that it’s going to be more severe than typical,” says Richard Martinello, an infectious diseases […]
Dec 17, 2025
Experts predict this year’s flu season to be worse than usual—here’s why
National Geographic Every year, flu season in North America starts to peak around the holiday season. But this year, doctors and researchers are especially worried. “We will have a significant flu season this year, and we have a lot of concern that it’s going to be more severe than typical,” says Richard Martinello, an infectious diseases […]
Dec 10, 2025
Rare Temporary Flu Complication Can Leave Some Kids Unable to Walk
MedPageToday A 9-year-old girl in Michigan recently made the news after suddenly finding herself unable to walk during a bout with the flu. Before that, she experienced typical flu symptoms like fever, chills, and fatigue, and had plenty of rest and hydration. “When the fever broke after a few days, I thought she was turning […]
Dec 10, 2025
Japan’s flu season comes early as new variant spreads
Japan Times A new influenza variant spreading across Japan may be behind the increase in early outbreaks this year, the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) has said. The new strain, called “Subclade K” is a variant of the type A flu virus, which typically spreads around the beginning of the flu season, while type […]
Dec 3, 2025