{"id":506764,"date":"2026-01-10T18:50:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T18:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/506764\/"},"modified":"2026-01-10T18:50:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T18:50:22","slug":"highly-contagious-super-flu-in-nyc-here-are-the-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/506764\/","title":{"rendered":"Highly contagious \u2018super flu\u2019 in NYC: Here are the symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 A new flu strain has engulfed the United States, causing the highest flu infection rate in 25 years as New York City\u2019s flu-related hospitalizations continue to rise at alarming rates, data shows.<\/p>\n

Dubbed \u201csuper flu,\u201d the strain, called A\/H3, is responsible for 95% of cases in New York, <\/a>according to the state Department of Health\u2019s most recent data.<\/p>\n

The strain is somewhat resistant to this year\u2019s vaccine, which was created months before the outbreak, medical experts have reported. And since vaccination rates are down in the United States, more people are vulnerable to catching and spreading the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n

The flu, a very contagious respiratory illness<\/a>, is caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs, according to the CDC.<\/p>\n

Though it can be mild at times, it can also lead to severe illness, even death in children and vulnerable populations. Two pediatric deaths have so far been reported in New York City.<\/p>\n

There were 130 hospitalizations on Staten Island for the week ending Dec. 27, 2025, an increase from the previous week, though the 1,297 cases reported on Staten Island for that week were a drop from the 2,429 reported the week prior, according to data. That\u2019s still more cases than were recorded any single week in the last two flu seasons, the state Health Department said.<\/p>\n

And hospitals in the capital region of the state are now requiring visitors to wear masks, according to recent reports.<\/a><\/p>\n

The contradiction may be caused by a time delay between infection and serious illness. Hospitalization numbers this week may reflect illness reported in a previous week, doctors said.<\/p>\n

Also, many with mild symptoms don\u2019t get tested at all, and may develop into serious symptoms, ultimately leading to hospital admission, local medical experts said. <\/p>\n

\u201cChildren oftentimes are admitted due to dehydration and require IV fluids as part of their symptomatic care,\u2019’ Dr. Dolly Sharma, a pediatrician at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, told the Advance\/SILive.com. \u201dRecent holidays may have also been a factor, as families travel outside of town … may have still been experiencing mild symptoms but not sought medical attention or been tested.”<\/p>\n

And several weeks of peak flu season lie before us, doctors said.<\/p>\n

Influenza A activity in country usually peaks from January through March, Sharma said. Influenza B infection comes typically after Influenza A and it peaks from March through May, she said. <\/p>\n

Most admissions for viral illnesses in the first three weeks of December were children with Influenza A, said Dr. Ana Mendez, chief of Ambulatory Pediatrics at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton. The same is true at RUMC\u2019s Pediatric Clinic, she said.<\/p>\n

Symptoms of \u2018super flu\u2019 variant<\/p>\n

Doctors reported that this year\u2019s most common flu variant presents similarly to last year\u2019s variant, causing mild to severe illness, with one exception. Many patients have described vomiting \u201cyellow bile\u201d as one of the standout symptoms of their flu infection, according to a report on Healthandme.com. <\/a>Virologists said they believe this may happen because the flu is suppressing appetite more than usual, leading people to vomit when their stomachs are empty.<\/p>\n

Vomiting and diarrhea are more common in children than adults, the CDC reported.<\/p>\n

Most common symptoms of the circulating variant include: <\/p>\n