JAKARTA - The case of influenza in the United States has now jumped sharply and even the highest in the last 25 years. This marks one of the heaviest flu seasons in the country since the late 1990s.
Almost all states in the United States are currently in the high to very high flu activity category. This occurs as the spread of the new variant of influenza A (H3N2) subclade K or commonly referred to as super flu.
The latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that doctor visits due to fever accompanied by cough or sore throat, typical symptoms of the flu, reached the highest point since the 1997-1998 flu season.
Thus, nationally, about 8.2 percent of medical visits in the last week of last year were related to influenza-like illnesses. This figure is significantly higher than the same period last season which was 6.7 percent.
"This is clearly a very difficult year. We have not seen a condition like this at least in the last two decades," said Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidiologist from the John Hopkins Center for Health Security, quoted from CNN Health, Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
The majority of areas in the United States are currently in the peak phase of transmission. This surge is considered unusual because it occurred after the previous flu season which was also considered bad, because usually a flu season with high severity does not occur in a row.
In a number of states such as Massachusetts, health authorities reported serious pressure on health service facilities. Hospitals are beginning to be overwhelmed by patients, including children in severe symptomatic conditions.
"We're seeing children getting very sick, families losing loved ones and hospitals under capacity pressures," said Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein.
The CDC estimates that so far about 11 million people have been infected with the flu this season. Of these, 120 thousand patients had to undergo hospital treatment and about 5 thousand people died, including nine children.
Experts assess that the spike in cases is mainly triggered by the emergence of subclade K, a new variant of influenza A (H3N2) that is genetically quite different from previous strains. The difference makes the virus more able to evade the immune system, including in individuals who have been exposed to the flu in previous years.
"This strain is quite different so it can trick our immune system," said Rivers.
To overcome this increase in influenza, experts urge the public to immediately get vaccinated. With flu activity expected to last three to four weeks, vigilance and self-protection are key to reducing the impact of the worst flu season in 25 years.
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