U.S. flu infections surged over the holidays, and officials warned the season is severe and likely to worsen, with 45 states reporting high or very high activity during the week of Christmas. The report highlights influenza A(H3N2) dominance and notes that 90%+ of analyzed H3N2 infections were a subclade K variant differing from this season’s vaccine strain, raising concern about mismatch. The CDC estimated at least 11 million illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths from flu so far this season. Public-health experts still recommend annual influenza vaccination, even as federal guidance changes are discussed in parallel.
Date: January 5, 2026 Source: apnews.com