Mask mandates and Covid-era crackdowns return as ‘super’ virus spreads uncontrollably and New York sees the most cases ever | 31 Dec 2025 | The ‘super flu’ is exploding across the US, with some states seeing more cases than ever before… The newest figures, which are updated through December 20, show “very high” flu transmission in 21 states, with New York City, New York state, New Jersey, South Carolina, Louisiana and Colorado reporting the highest rates. Due to the surge, hospitals are enacting Covid-era restrictions on visitors and bringing back mask mandates to [pretend to] slow the spread of the dangerous new flu strain H3N2 subclade K, which experts believe is behind the flu’s meteoric rise. Duke Health in North Carolina announced this week it will limit hospital visitors starting January 6, 2026, to just two people ages 12 and over per patient. And Iredell Memorial Hospital in North Carolina said beginning this week, it will not allow anyone under 14 to visit.