KTLA | Monday, January 5, 2026 
30 states are in CDC’s worst tier for flu ‘super’ variant

New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday shows a massive spike in flu activity nationwide. In just one week, between Dec. 20 and Dec. 27, the country saw a 33% increase in people testing positive for influenza. There was also an 8% increase in people visiting a health care provider with flu symptoms. The updated data, whose release was delayed by the New Year holiday, now includes the week of Christmas – a time when people travel and gather and respiratory illness tends to spread. In mid-December, before the peak holiday season, only six states were considered to have “very high” flu activity. As of Dec. 27, 30 states from New England to the South and the Midwest have moved into that highest tier. Only a small handful of states are still considered to have “low” or “moderate” flu levels: Montana, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia. Compare the change in flu activity between Dec. 13 and Dec. 27, just two weeks later, by sliding between the images below. Note: Nevada reported insufficient data for the week ending in Dec. 27 but was in the “high” category the week prior. We likely haven’t reached the peak yet. Influenza activity “continues to increase across the country,” the CDC said Monday. The rapid rise is largely being driven by a new variant of the flu virus known as “subclade K.” This subtype of influenza A…Read more