Kansas City hit by a new ‘super flu’ variant causing a surge of cases
KCUR••general
Key Points:
- Kansas City experienced its fourth-highest weekly influenza cases in 15 years during the last week of 2025, with the surge driven by a "super flu" strain called Influenza A Subclade K.
- The current flu vaccine offers about 50% protection against this strain, lower than the typical 70-80% effectiveness, but medical experts still strongly recommend vaccination to reduce severe illness and complications.
- Kansas and Missouri reported significant flu-related deaths in the 2024-2025 season, with 182 and 408 deaths respectively, highlighting the ongoing severity of the outbreak.
- Health officials advise continued preventive measures such as vaccination, frequent handwashing, mask-wearing in public, and staying home when possible to protect high-risk
