Health experts warn of ‘super flu’ surge as Christmas approaches
Updated: 11:06 AM EST Dec 22, 2025
As Christmas approaches, health experts are warning about a surge in flu cases driven by a variant dubbed the “super flu,” which has already affected millions this year.So far this season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates at least 4.6 million flu illnesses, 49,000 hospitalizations and 1,900 deaths. Data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health indicates the level of influenza-like illness is rated as high or very high throughout most of the state. Of the cases where laboratory testing was reported to state health officials, Type A flu was dominant. One variation of Influenza A is a strain designated Subclade K, which some doctors are dubbing the season’s “super flu.” “We think this subclade K virus is evading population immunity, meaning more people are susceptible to infection,” Professor Andrew Pekosz from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health told CNN. Although the vaccine does not offer perfect protection against the variant, health experts still recommend it for anyone aged 6 months or older.”Even with this new variant and some mismatch with the vaccine, getting a flu shot is still absolutely worth it,” John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and ABC News medical contributor told the network. “The vaccine continues to provide strong protection against severe outcomes like hospitalization and death, and that’s especially important as flu activity ramps up.”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
NEEDHAM, Mass. —
As Christmas approaches, health experts are warning about a surge in flu cases driven by a variant dubbed the “super flu,” which has already affected millions this year.
So far this season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates at least 4.6 million flu illnesses, 49,000 hospitalizations and 1,900 deaths.
Data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health indicates the level of influenza-like illness is rated as high or very high throughout most of the state. Of the cases where laboratory testing was reported to state health officials, Type A flu was dominant.
One variation of Influenza A is a strain designated Subclade K, which some doctors are dubbing the season’s “super flu.”
“We think this subclade K virus is evading population immunity, meaning more people are susceptible to infection,” Professor Andrew Pekosz from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health told CNN.
Although the vaccine does not offer perfect protection against the variant, health experts still recommend it for anyone aged 6 months or older.
“Even with this new variant and some mismatch with the vaccine, getting a flu shot is still absolutely worth it,” John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and ABC News medical contributor told the network. “The vaccine continues to provide strong protection against severe outcomes like hospitalization and death, and that’s especially important as flu activity ramps up.”