*Flu cases are rising sharply across the United States as the holiday travel season continues, as per a report by USA Today. Health officials say infections are increasing in most parts of the country, putting pressure on hospitals and clinics.
New York is one of the hardest-hit states. For the week ending December 20, the state recorded 71,123 positive flu cases, the highest number ever reported in a single week, according to the New York State Department of Health. The department noted that this represented a 38% increase from the previous week.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 14 states (including New York) reported high or very high levels of flu-like illnesses for the week ending December 13. According to the agency, Washington, D.C., New York City, and Puerto Rico also saw high activity. By December 16, flu cases were rising or expected to rise in 47 states, with Hawaii being the only state where cases were declining, according to the same CDC data.
The CDC says the current surge looks similar to past flu seasons. Still, there is a new concern: a new strain, known as subclade K, linked to the influenza A(H3N2) virus, which has previously caused outbreaks in countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom, and Canada. While experts worry the strain could spread widely, health officials believe the current flu vaccine still offers strong protection against severe illness.
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Experts are still studying whether this new strain is causing more infections or more serious cases. However, specialists agree that the overall trend is clear.
“What is clear is that cases are increasing, and we’re seeing a lot of influenza cases increasing across the country, and that’s a trend that we [are] sure will continue into the new year,” said Andrew Pekosz, the co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence in influenza research and response, in a Dec. 16 video health briefing.
A Drop in Vaccinations
Another major concern is a drop in flu vaccinations. About 47.6 million flu shots have been given at pharmacies and doctors’ offices between 2025 and 2026. That number is about 3 million fewer than at the same time last season, according to the CDC.
A federal government shutdown between October and November may also have disrupted flu tracking and vaccination efforts. Jennifer Nuzzo, professor of epidemiology and director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health, warned in a flu report published Dec. 19 by the Journal of the American Medical Association that fewer vaccinations and limited data could make this flu season especially challenging in the months ahead.
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