According to the National Ministry of Health in South Africa, between 6,000 and 11,000 South Africans succumb to the flu every year, with a rather worrying status taking into account the widespread flu formations. The winter season is a synonym for increasing flu cases, with new flu tribes constantly doing the rounds. This year alone, how many of these statements they heard: “This flu will simply not disappear” or “I have had this stubborn cough for almost a month, even though I had taken medication”.
Some even may argue that Covid-19 has brought the world to their knees, the flu period has never been the case. New research work published in February 2025 in the Nature Microbiology Journal suggests that flu cases have become particularly bad, as a frequent flu has become more “intelligent” when surviving. Is there any hope?
Read more: important information to familiarize yourself with this flu season
What has the new study found?
The study showed that influenza -a -virus particles can actually adapt their shape to stay infectious and stay longer and ultimately increase flu cases. When analyzing influenza -a particles in a laboratory to monitor their reaction to environmental conditions, the researchers found that “the particles could either change their shape either bullets or larger filaments (a slim shape) in order to infect cells better, based on certain environmental conditions.”
This metamorphosis is the reason for the flu, which runs through longer and through the existing immunity that its body has built up. “Although this is not a completely new discovery, the researchers have only not observed this specific form shift in the flu. With a change in the genome (the entire number of DNA instructions in one cell), the form can quickly change to its survival advantage,” says Dr. Thomas Russo, a professor and head of infectious diseases at the University of the University of Buffalo in New York in New York. For general masses, it is important to know that viruses are living organisms that change shape and shape, says Dr. Gulam Karim, medical director at Trumd. “AH3N2 and Ahn1 were, for example, the most common tribes in 2024, and now we went on new tribes in 2025,” he explains.
Read more: These are the 7 best tips to stay super healthy during the flu season
What is flu A and flu B?
The flu is available in four different tribes, namely – A, B, C and D, although A and B are most common in the human population and are responsible for increasing the flu cases in winter and autumn.
Flu A can infect people and animals, while flu B is mainly a human virus. There are also 130 different subtype combinations of flu A, while flu B contains only two descent lines (B/Yamagata and B/Victoria) in accordance with CDC.
Funny fact: B/Yamagata tribes have not been determined since the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, so that flu B is currently technically due to only B/Victoria.
Overall, flu -a viruses caused a more intensive illness, notes Dr. Russo. “Both flu A and flu B can be fatal, but flu A tends to cause serious diseases,” he says. Another important difference, says Dr. Amesh Adalja, a doctor for infectious diseases: flu B “does not cause pandemics”, but flu A.
Read more: Heads Up – the flu season has already started. So prepare yourself
Are we doomed to fail?
Imagine the flu as an ongoing war that can strike every minute, and you don’t start not loosening it! Most medical experts suggest that the flu vaccine is still the best defense against flu symptoms at the beginning of the flu season, which are complicated, which makes it seriously ill, especially among endangered population groups (including devilish, children, people with diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic diseases such as auto -mone, such as automune or immune disions such as HIV/AIDSissisions and tuberculosis such as Automune disorders or immune -deficiency such as HIV/AIDSISSISIEs such as HIV/AIDSISISISIONS and TURCULOSISISIONS)).
Very note that you can be vaccinated against the flu that you are not infected. “I would like to emphasize that 90 percent of the time eat well, train, take relevant food supplements, etc., basically work general good health practices,” says Dr. Karim.
Dr. Tamsyn Lee, a senior doctor at Trumd, adds: “If possible, work from home and keep a safe removal from others. But you also find a balance between the interior, since good ventilation is important because the flu virus is transmitted. Everything that helps build up good immunity is encouraged to give you sleep, manage and a wavy diet.