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Sydney, January 7, 2026 – More than 2,500 Australians are starting the year battling a surprisingly resilient new influenza strain, and health officials are bracing for what could be the country’s worst flu season in 35 years of tracking.
A ‘Super-K’ Strain fuels Early Surge in Flu Cases
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A new influenza variant, dubbed “Super-K,” is spreading rapidly across Australia, raising concerns about a potentially severe flu season.
- Last year, over half a million Australians contracted the flu, leading to 1,508 deaths-a 44% increase in mortality compared to 2024.
- The current surge is driven by a mutation of Influenza A (H3N2), known as subclade K or “Super-K,” first identified in September by researchers in Melbourne.
- Vaccination rates are declining,particularly among young children and seniors,leaving more people vulnerable.
- While not more *severe*, Super-K is exceptionally contagious, and its unseasonable persistence could strain healthcare resources.
Is a bad flu season certain? Experts say its looking increasingly likely. Last year saw a record 500,000+ laboratory-confirmed flu cases and 1,508 deaths, a jump of 44% over 2024. But the unusually high infection rate already seen in the first week of January-fueled by this new strain-has authorities on high alert.
What makes ‘Super-K’ Different?
The culprit is a mutation of Influenza A (H3N2), officially known as subclade K, but quickly nicknamed “Super-K.” Scientists at Melbourne’s Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity first flagged the variant in September. It’s not that Super-K causes *more* severe illness, but it spreads with remarkable efficiency, even among those who’ve been vaccinated.
Super-K isn’t confined to Australia; it’s now circulating in over 30 countries worldwide.
Genetic mapping,according to Prof. Ian Barr, deputy director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Influenza, suggests Super-K originated with limited presence in the United States around mid-2025. It began appearing in Australia in August, gaining a foothold by October, and causing a spike in emergency department visits-over 370 in New South Wales alone-by mid-November, according to NSW Health data.
More than one-third of Australia’s cases in the last week have been reported in New south Wales.Health Minister Ryan Park cautioned that the true number of infections is likely much higher,as many people don’t seek testing when they feel unwell.
Vaccination Rates Drop as Cases Rise
Compounding the problem, vaccination rates are falling. The Royal Australian Collage of GPs reports that only 25.7% of children aged six months to five years received a flu vaccine in 2
