Flu Season Just Tied Record for Pediatric Deaths—And It's Not Over
The flu season is tearing through the country, and the pediatric death toll just hit a number nobody wanted to see.
Fifteen new flu-related pediatric deaths were reported to the CDC the week ending January 10, bringing the total to 32. That's nearly double the eight from the week before. The 2024-2025 flu season just tied with the 2009-2010 influenza pandemic for the highest number of pediatric deaths since they started tracking in 2004.
When It All Went Sideways
Late December saw 8% of medical visits related to flu—the highest percentage since tracking started in 1997. Cases have dropped since then, but look at what's already on the board: 18 million illnesses, 230,000 hospitalizations, 9,300 deaths.
A mutation called subclade K is responsible for most of the carnage, and experts think it's got more fight left in it.
Cases shot up through December before taking a nosedive in January. Right now, nationwide activity sits at "moderate." Data through January 10 showed just under 19% of flu tests coming back positive, down from 25% the week before.
Some spots got hammered worse. Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming hit 23% positive tests. The Northeast saw high to very high activity—New York, Maine, and Massachusetts took the brunt of it.
Wastewater tracking showed a 39% drop between December 26 and January 7. Less virus in the sewage means it's backing off in communities across the country. As of January 13, infections were rising in two states, flat in 14, and dropping in 31 others.
What Makes Subclade K Such a Problem
This mutation comes from influenza A's H3N2 variation. H3N2 has been around forever, but this version is different enough that this year's flu shot doesn't match up as well against it. It might also be better at slipping past immune systems that already learned to fight off the usual strains.
The vaccine still does something, though. Preliminary data shows it provides protection, and Europe's hospitalization rates look similar to last year. CDC data showed 91% of H3N2 samples between September 28 and January 9 were subclade K. It's running the show.
Flu season isn't done, and kids are taking the worst of it. Matching the 2009 pandemic's pediatric death count wasn't on anyone's bingo card. Cases are trending down, but subclade K is still dominant and activity remains moderate.
If you skipped the flu shot, it's not too late. It's not a perfect match for subclade K, but it still offers protection. Given how this season has gone, take what you can get.
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