COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – National and local health officials are sounding the alarm as a sharp spike in flu cases during December has made the 2025–2026 season the most severe since 2018.
According to the latest CDC FluView report, the United States has already seen an estimated 7.5 million cases, 81,000 hospitalizations, and over 3,100 deaths this season, including eight confirmed pediatric fatalities. Experts are particularly concerned about the dominance of subclade K, a variant of the H3N2 Influenza A virus known for causing more severe illness and potentially evading current vaccine immunity.
In Michigan, the situation has reached “very high” activity levels, with flu-related clinic visits jumping 70% in the last week of December.
While no pediatric deaths have been confirmed in the state for the 2025–2026 cycle, southeast Michigan is experiencing significant hospital strain, with 653 confirmed admissions statewide.
Despite the surge, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reports that only 24% of residents have been vaccinated.
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