Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 08, 2026 1 day, 11 minutes ago
Medical News: Alarming Winter Spike Sweeps the Country
Greece is being battered by an explosive rise in seasonal influenza, with the aggressive new mutated H3N2 flu strain belonging to the K Clade driving a wave of infections that has rapidly spread across the nation. The National Public Health Organization or EODY reports that cases have soared sharply in just the last two weeks, turning what began as a typical seasonal uptick into a large-scale outbreak that is testing hospital capacity.
Greece battles a fast-rising K strain flu surge that is overwhelming hospitals and hitting vulnerable groups hardest
This escalation coincides with increased indoor gatherings during the festive period. Experts warn that more cases are expected as children return to classrooms on January 8, a development anticipated to trigger a dramatic surge in pediatric infections.
Hospitalizations Double in Days
EODY’s latest surveillance data from December 22–28 show how quickly the situation is evolving. Flu hospital admissions leapt from 235 to 497 in a single week—more than double. Fifteen patients have already required intensive care treatment this season, and three additional deaths linked to laboratory confirmed influenza were recorded over the same period.
Looking further back, since early 2024, severe influenza has been responsible for 151 deaths nationwide. Physicians on the front line describe emergency rooms filled with feverish patients struggling with painful coughs, headaches, and exhaustion.
Dr Eleni Bagia at Gennimatas Hospital noted that symptom severity this year is notably greater than previous seasons, an observation echoed in care centers across Athens and other major regions.
H3N2 K Clade Strain Brings Harder Hit Symptoms
The new mutated H3N2 Clade K strain is now recognized as the dominant driver of the outbreak. Health authorities caution that mutations in this variant appear to increase transmissibility and may partly evade immunity from past infections. Although not formally termed “superflu” by scientists, the nickname has circulated widely to describe seasons when influenza causes more intense and lingering symptoms.
Professor Gikas Mayorkinis, infectious disease specialist at the National University of Athens, stresses that Greece entered peak respiratory season in mid-November, making a surge inevitable. Elderly adults, people with chronic conditions, and children are identified as groups particularly at risk of complications.
National Guidance as Peak Approaches
A second leading expert, Professor Theodora Psaltopoulou, warns that the worst is yet to come, predicting the outbreak’s crest toward late January. She adds that similar pressure is now being felt in parts of Europe and the United States, underscoring that Greece is part of a broader global trend.
Authorities remind citizens to take basic precautions: avoid crowded indoor environments when unwell, maintain hand hygiene, wear face masks when necessary, and seek medical advice promptly at the onset of symptoms. Early c
linical evaluation may shorten illness and prevent complications, a reassurance repeated in this
Medical News report.
Outlook
Health specialists forecast that the unusually forceful wave is likely to persist until mid-March. They emphasize that while influenza’s duration typically spans five to seven days, more vulnerable individuals can suffer for significantly longer and may require hospitalization. The evolving pattern of the K strain serves as a stark reminder that seasonal influenza remains a highly disruptive public health threat capable of overwhelming medical systems and altering daily life across entire communities when transmission accelerates unchecked. Personal responsibility, early care seeking, and heightened awareness are expected to play the most important roles in preventing further loss of life and easing pressure on Greece’s already stretched hospitals.
References:
https://eody.gov.gr/el/anakoinoseis/ebdomadiaia-ekthese-epidemiologikes-epitereses-anapneustikon-loimoxeon-22-dekemvriou-28-dekemvriou-2025.html
https://eody.gov.gr/images/%CE%95%CE%9A%CE%98%CE%95%CE%A3%CE%97_%CE%95%CE%9D%CE%99%CE%91%CE%99%CE%91%CE%A3_%CE%95%CE%A0%CE%99%CE%A4%CE%97%CE%A1%CE%97%CE%A3%CE%97%CE%A3_%CE%91%CE%9D%CE%91%CE%A0%CE%9D%CE%95%CE%A5%CE%A3%CE%A4%CE%99%CE%9A%CE%A9%CE%9D_%CE%99%CE%A9%CE%9D_WEEK_52_2025.pdf
For the latest H3N2 influenza news, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/influenza-or-flu
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