Hospitals in China Have Been Overwhelmed By a New Virus in 2025
A countrywide outbreak of the H3N2 flu strain has debilitated many China.
Published Dec. 8 2025, 2:21 p.m. ET
An infectious flu strain has hit the country of China terribly hard, and many are wondering if we could be facing a new, forthcoming pandemic. While Americans are currently contending with the highly contagious so-called "Winter Vomiting Disease," the H3N2 flu strain has been debilitating for many Chinese residents, who have overwhelmed countrywide hospital staff.
Is the H3N2 flu strain making its way to the U.S., and how successfully has the country of China contained this latest viral outbreak?
It is imperative to know all about the latest flu strain that has impacted China so that you can best prepare to stay safe this season. Below, we report on what we know at this point about the H3N2 flu strain, how the country of China has been dealing with the latest outbreak, and how readers in the U.S. can stay safe amid the outbreak.
Continue reading below to learn more about the H3N2 virus outbreak, and be sure to consult your primary care provider if you suspect you have gotten sick.
Chinese hospitals have been overwhelmed by the H3N2 virus outbreak in 2025.
According to a report in the Daily Star, a countrywide outbreak of the H3N2 flu strain has debilitated many throughout the country of China, overwhelming hospital staff throughout China "from major cities like Beijing and Tianjin to provinces including Hebei, Henan, Guangdong, Fujian, Shandong, Shanxi and beyond."
Social media posts have detailed countless patients helplessly waiting for attention as hospitals have become overrun with patients seeking medical attention.
"Statistics from the Alibaba Health platform show purchases of flu antiviral medications have rocketed by 500% between November 10-21, sparking worries about a major looming epidemic," according to the report in the Daily Star.
Per the report, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that 17 provinces across China have experienced increasing flu rates.
"Dr Zhang Datao, director of the institute for infectious and endemic disease control at the Beijing CDC has confirmed the primary virus causing the surge of infections across the city was the Influenza A virus – also known H3N2," according to a report in The Mirror. "The reports claim the virus outbreak has primarily impacted children among the ages of 5 - 14, as almost all of these outbreaks have occurred in educational and childcare settings."
The report in The Mirror adds that one child has died after being infected with influenza A. In severe cases, the H2N2 virus can cause pneumonia and, obviously, can be fatal in certain populations, such as older adults, young children, and those with weakened immune systems.
With such a formidable flu strain stressing the Chinese health system, people around the world are understandably nervous about the flu strain's containment and what comes next.
"Despite the rising infection rates across China, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and the Communist Party of China have said currently no major mutations have been found in the H3N2 influenza virus," according to The Mirror.
Described by The Independent as "the most severe flu outbreak in decades," it has similarly stressed UK health systems. "Every day last week, 1,717 patients were admitted to hospitals in England with the infection, up 56% on the same week last year," per the report.