The Case is Growing, 17 Children Died due to Super Flu in the United States
JAKARTA - The case of flu in the United States is now soaring. It is reported that there is an increase in the number of hospitalizations and deaths due to flu, which indicates that the peak of influenza cases is not yet passed.
The surge in flu cases occurs along with the widespread spread of the new variant of influenza A (H3N2) subclade K or often called super flu.
Quoted from CNN Health, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, 40 thousand people were reported to be hospitalized for flu in the week of January 3 by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The number is up about 10 percent from the 36,600 hospitalizations in the previous week. Overall, there were about 12 hospitalizations for flu per 100,000 people in the United States last week.
The elderly group is still the most hospitalized for flu. However, the number of children hospitalized is also high and there are 17 children who died from flu.
"At least 17 children have died from flu this season," the CDC said.
The number is almost double compared to the previous week, after eight new deaths were reported. Four of the children's deaths from the flu this season occurred in Massachusetts.
Overall, the CDC estimates that at least 15 million people have fallen ill, 180,000 have been hospitalized, and 7,400 have died from the flu this flu season. Flu activity is also still high throughout the United States, and the CDC expects this condition to continue for the next few weeks.
Parents are urged to immediately vaccinate their children aged six months and above to reduce the risk of severe complications. This is because children are very vulnerable, especially those under the age of two.
"Parents should also seek medical help immediately if their child has flu symptoms accompanied by signs of more severe illness. Such as difficulty breathing, decreased urination, persistent high fever, or becoming very weak and difficult to wake up," concluded the US health authorities.