<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A fast-moving strain of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/influenza" rel="" target="" title="influenza"><span>influenza</span></a><span> that has led to the deaths of dozens of children in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="" title="the United States"><span>the United States</span></a><span> is evading the protective effects of past vaccines and community immunity, a new study has confirmed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The new and highly mutated strain of influenza A (H3N2), dubbed 'Super-K', was first detected in the USA in June last year and led to a summer surge of influenza in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australia"><span>Australia</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In January, 63 people died from influenza in Australia - roughly double the number seen in the same month in previous years.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-politics-news-david-littleproud-quits-nationals-leader/87176214-b470-4872-8425-3fb86b9f66d6" rel="" target="" title="David Littleproud announces shock resignation as Nationals leader"><strong><span>David Littleproud announces shock resignation as Nationals leader</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That comes on the back of 2025 being confirmed as </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/record-flu-deaths-australia-highest-this-century/c40c04e2-3a0a-4213-a24d-0c409096de52" rel="" target="" title="Australia's deadliest flu season this century with 1,701 deaths"><span>Australia's deadliest flu season this century with 1,701 deaths</span></a><span>, according to </span><a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/deaths-due-acute-respiratory-infections-australia/latest-release#:~:text=Levels%20remain%20well%20above%20usual,and%201%2C656%20deaths%20in%202017." rel="" target="_blank" title="Australian Bureau of Statistics figures"><span>Australian Bureau of Statistics figures</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>AMA Vice President Julian Rait said high caseloads and low vaccination rates had led to a perfect storm for influenza in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We could easily see the same situation this year and we could even exceed that with this new 'Super-K' variant," he told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/super-k-flu-mutated-influenza-a-lower-vaccine-effectiveness-could-see-another-horror-influenza-season/476ec606-718e-4b60-a464-df4ae380d26f" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rait has pointed the finger squarely at Australia's low - and falling - flu vaccination rates for multiple years of horror flu seasons.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half of all Australians were receiving a flu shot - now, that figure is closer to one in three.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Older people and children under the age of five are at increased risk of flu-related death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But in 2025, only 25 per cent of children under five received a flu shot, while 60.5 per cent of people over 65 were vaccinated. - the lowest number in six years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-attack-iran-women-footballers-in-queensland-seek-asylum/ae4e93a0-47a2-445f-9c74-e4cd5b52df33" rel="" target="" title="Protesters try to block bus as Iranian footballers taken to airport"><strong><span>Protesters try to block bus as Iranian footballers taken to airport</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2846268?guestAccessKey=ee3036e8-bc20-4e16-8c47-c5a181d6b23a&amp;utm_source=for_the_media&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=ftm_links&amp;utm_content=tfl&amp;utm_term=030926" rel="" target="_blank" title="new study by Harvard Medical School researchers in JAMA today"><span>new study by Harvard Medical School researchers in JAMA today</span></a><span> confirms experts' suspicions that last year's flu vaccinations were not as effective against the 'Super-K' variant.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the 46 patients studied, getting vaccinated only prompted a 1.7 to 2-fold increase in patients' antibodies to H3N2 subclade K - nicknamed 'Super-K' - compared to an almost 3-fold increase for other strains.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Combined with a lower baseline immunity to 'Super-K' due to it being a new strain, this means those studied had as much as 7.8 times lower levels of antibodies to fight off a 'Super-K' infection than previous strains of flu.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, the AMA said this wouldn't apply to Australia's new seasonal flu shot, due to be rolled out next month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New recommendations by the World Health Organization have seen a subclade K variant incorporated into this year's trivalent flu shot for Australia, which should boost its efficacy against the 'Super-K' strain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Epidemiologist Dr David Muscatello said the influenza virus was "constantly mutating", with a significantly new and more infectious strain popping up around once every 10 years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The virus is drifting all the time because it's constantly mutating, so every ten years or so we might see a drift that more easily infects people in the population," he told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, Muscatello was quick to point out that there is no evidence to suggest that the 'Super-K' strain causes more serious illness.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nevertheless, lower prior immunity and high infectivity have led the CDC to </span><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2026-week-08.html" rel="" target="_blank" title='label 2025-26 a "high severity" flu season amongst children'><span>label 2025-26 a "high severity" flu season amongst children</span></a><span> in the United States.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There, more than 90 per cent of influenza A cases are now the 'Super-K' variant.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>So far, 90 children have died from flu-related complications.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian Medical Association is now urging Australians to roll up their sleeves and help boost vaccination rates.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Super K is much more easily transmitted and clearly with our low vaccination rates, it could well take off in winter when people spend more time indoors together," Rait warned.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/kyle-and-jackie-o-show-kyle-sandilands-breaks-silence/8867e3ed-d639-43af-bfe0-9c17680be659" rel="" target="" title="Kyle Sandilands breaks silence on shock radio split"><strong><span>Kyle Sandilands breaks silence on shock radio split</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>