COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Michigan is currently grappling with its most severe influenza crisis in decades, as health officials report that flu-like activity has reached a 25-year high.
The surge is primarily driven by a potent new Influenza A (H3N2) variant known as “Subclade K,” or the “super flu,” which has triggered staggering hospitalization rates that are double the figures recorded last year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has placed Michigan at the highest possible alert level, noting a heavy toll on the state’s youth, of the 17 national pediatric flu deaths recorded this season, eight have occurred in Michigan alone.
As hospitals and intensive care units face mounting pressure, State Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian warns that only 24% of Michiganders have been vaccinated for the 2025-2026 season.
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