January 14, 2026- At least 15 million Americans have come down with the flu — and 7,400, including 17 children, have died from the illness — during the 2025-26 flu season so far, making it one of the most brutal in recent memory, according to the Association for American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Nearly 40,000 people were admitted to the hospital with flu during the week ending January 3, according to data published Friday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This week, some of those indicators have fallen, but the CDC says that does not necessarily mean the season has reached its peak, according to CNN Health. The decreased numbers “could be due to changes in healthcare seeking or reporting during the holidays,” and it is possible that more increases may come in the weeks ahead.