Overview
- Germany’s RKI reports more than 20,000 lab‑confirmed cases in the week of January 5–11, over 80,000 cases so far this season, and 225 deaths, with H3N2—largely Subclade K—now dominant.
- Italy records an exceptionally intense surge with about 800,000 new infections in the first week of January and hospitals under severe strain, according to local reports.
- Sentinel testing shows influenza as the leading cause of acute respiratory infections, with H3N2 Subclade K prevalent and H1N1 also circulating, while overall ARE activity recently dipped from holiday peaks.
- Pediatric services report many hospital admissions tied to influenza, yet clinicians and RKI data indicate no increase in per‑infection severity, with older adults still at highest risk of severe outcomes.
- California confirms spread of Subclade K as influenza hospitalizations reached a seasonal peak; health officials stress that current vaccines continue to reduce severe illness despite possible reduced protection against infection.