Experts warn of new dangerous ‘superflu’ spread

At the height of the current flu season, doctors and experts are warning in the BMJ journal about the spread of a particularly virulent variant of the virus, which journalists and some media outlets have dubbed the "superflu."

The main “culprit” in this pandemic is a new subtype of the influenza A virus, H3N2 K, which first caused a significant increase in cases in the UK and then became dominant in the United States.

This strain is responsible for a very high level of flu cases in several US states, including New York, Rhode Island, Colorado and Louisiana, as well as a significant increase in hospitalizations during the 2025/26 flu season.

Researchers emphasize that one of the reasons for its rapid spread is that the structure of this virus has changed due to numerous mutations in the surface proteins, which antibodies target during the development of vaccines.

As a result, the current flu vaccine does not provide perfect protection against the new variant: its effectiveness among adults is estimated at approximately 32-39%, while among children it is about 72-75%. Despite this, doctors insist that vaccination remains an important measure, as it helps to alleviate the course of this illness and reduce the severity of its complications.

Symptoms of the flu remain typical of seasonal infections: cough, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, chills, and high fever. However, due to the high level of infection and a weakened immune system, many people can develop a much more severe illness, including pneumonia and the need for hospitalization.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that since the start of the current flu season, there have been about 4.6 million cases of influenza, about 49,000 hospitalizations, and about 1,900 deaths, including two among children, in the US.

A similar situation is observed in Europe, where the World Health Organization notes the early start of the flu season and high activity of the H3N2 virus, which is affecting dozens of countries in the region. Doctors recommend not only getting vaccinated, but also taking simple precautions: staying home if you have symptoms, washing your hands, avoiding crowds, and wearing a mask in public places if necessary.

Experts emphasize that although this variant does not necessarily cause more severe illness than regular flu, its being widespread and partial resistance to the current vaccine could put significant pressure on health systems and lead to high levels of infection in the coming weeks.

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