Influenza is sweeping across the United States at a pace that has left public health experts sounding the alarm, with hospitalizations and deaths rising sharply and younger children among those most at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of December 27, 2025, flu activity is hitting “high” or “very high” levels in 48 states and jurisdictions, with 20 states designated at the highest alert. In total, since October, the CDC estimates at least 11 million Americans have fallen ill, more than 120,000 have been hospitalized, and 5,000 have died from influenza-related complications.
Among those tragic figures are nine pediatric deaths reported this season, with one more child lost during the week ending December 27. The CDC’s latest update paints a stark picture: the weekly hospitalization rate for flu has climbed to 8.4 per 100,000 people, a 1.2 percentage point jump from the previous week. The cumulative hospitalization rate now stands at 28.1 per 100,000, marking it as the third highest for this point in the season since the 2010-11 flu season.
Hospitalization rates are not spread evenly across age groups. The CDC reports that adults aged 65 and older are seeing the highest rates—85.0 per 100,000—followed by children aged 0-4 years (32.6), adults 50-64 years (24.9), children 5-17 years (16.5), and adults 18-49 years (11.9). Emergency room visits are also on the rise, with 8.3% of emergency department visits in the last week of December due to influenza, up from 5.5% the week before. Outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) have skyrocketed: 8.2% of patient visits reported through ILINet were due to ILI, the highest for Week 52 in six years and more than double the national baseline of 3.1%.
The main culprit this year is a so-called “super flu” strain—an influenza A(H3N2) subclade K variant. As Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff explained to the Dayton Daily News, “Most Ohioans are coming into this flu season without much in the way of protection against this strain of the flu. We have very little background immunity as a population, and this lack of immunity is allowing this strain of the flu to spread quickly.” Vanderhoff emphasized that children under 11 years old and adults 65 and older are especially at risk for severe illness.
Ohio has been hit hard. A 16-year-old girl from Beavercreek became the state’s first pediatric flu-related death of the 2025-2026 season, with Vanderhoff expressing condolences: “Our hearts go out to that family.” The state saw a dramatic spike in hospitalizations, with 1,465 Ohioans admitted for flu during the week ending December 27—more than double the historical average for this time of year. Nationwide, the CDC reports 33,301 flu patients admitted to hospitals in that same week.
Texas and New Mexico are also experiencing “very high” flu activity, according to CDC data. In Texas alone, 8,762 positive influenza specimens have been reported so far this season, as of December 27. The Texas Department of Public Health notes that the new subclade K strain of H3N2 may be better at evading immune systems that have built up defenses against more familiar strains. USA TODAY reports that symptoms associated with the current H3N2 strain—fever, cough, runny nose, fatigue, muscle aches, and chills—are similar to those seen in previous years, but the sheer number of cases is pushing hospitals to the brink.
Oregon is feeling the strain as well. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) revealed that 15.9% of specimens tested for influenza in the state were positive during the week of December 21-27, 2025. National data showed 360 positive flu cases in Oregon during the week of December 20, followed by 286 the next week. Hospitalizations are rising, too: between December 21 and December 27, OHA reported 31 influenza hospitalizations in the state’s three largest counties, up from just eight the previous week. The cumulative hospitalization rate in Oregon for the 2025-2026 season is approximately 6.8 per 100,000 people.
Schools and child care centers are not immune. OHA has recorded three influenza outbreaks in K-12 schools or child care settings in the past month. The agency is particularly concerned about the H3 strain, which accounts for 61% of positive specimens in Oregon and is historically linked to more severe illness and higher hospitalization rates, especially among older adults.
Despite the mounting toll, vaccination rates are lagging behind previous years. OHA reports that, as of December 29, the number of people seeking flu vaccinations in Oregon is declining, with rates slightly lower than during the 2024-25 season. In Marion County, only 23.9% of the population has received the flu vaccine this season, below the statewide average of 26.9%. Vaccination rates are highest among those aged 65 and older and lowest among teens. In the Woodburn area, about 42% of residents aged 65 and older have been vaccinated, while just 24% of residents aged six months and older have received the shot.
Public health officials are urging Americans to get vaccinated, emphasizing that it’s not too late. Dr. Howard Chiou, Public Health Medical Director for OHA, stated, “The flu season generally continues into the spring, which means flu activity will continue to increase for many months. That’s why it’s never too late to get the flu vaccine.”
Even as questions swirl about the vaccine’s effectiveness against this year’s dominant strain, experts stress its value. Dr. Vanderhoff explained, “Now, it’s not very good at protecting us necessarily from contracting the flu in the first place. But it appears, nevertheless, to still be good at helping to prevent your flu illness from becoming very severe and potentially landing you in the hospital.”
In addition to vaccination, health authorities recommend frequent hand washing, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, covering coughs and sneezes, and avoiding touching the eyes, nose, and mouth to reduce the risk of infection. The CDC, World Health Organization, and leading medical organizations all agree: vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent serious illness from the flu. Everyone six months and older is eligible for the flu vaccine, unless they have a specific medical contraindication.
For most people, flu symptoms resolve within a few days to two weeks, but some develop complications such as pneumonia, which can be life-threatening. The CDC advises that people with flu should stay home and avoid contact with others until at least 24 hours after their fever subsides without the use of fever-reducing medication. Those most contagious are typically so during the first three days of illness, but young children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer periods.
With the season far from over and the peak still expected in February, health officials continue to monitor the situation closely. The message from coast to coast is clear: the flu is here in force, and the best defense remains vaccination and vigilant hygiene.
