Peru confirms first H3N2 flu cases as health ministry declares national epidemiological alert

Peru's Ministry of Health confirmed Monday the detection of two cases of H3N2 influenza in minors and activated surveillance and monitoring protocols to prevent virus spread. Authorities ruled out the possibility of a new pandemic beginning.

The confirmation came after the ministry declared a national epidemiological alert as a preventive measure against the risk of H3N2 sublineage K influenza and measles entering and spreading through the country. Health Minister Luis Quiroz stated that the virus maintains a risk level ranging from mild to moderate and that no cases of the K variant had been detected in Peru prior to Monday's confirmation.

According to the ministry, the patients are under medical care and close contact tracing has begun to prevent additional infections. The ministry emphasized that epidemiological surveillance continues in hospitals and health centers nationwide.

The alert was declared amid increased international travel, internal mobility, and year-end gatherings that raise the probability of respiratory disease transmission. The H3N2 strain has caused hospital collapses in European countries and the United States, with cases also confirmed in Mexico and other Latin American nations.

The World Health Organization reported that seasonal flu cases have increased globally since October, with H3N2 accounting for the largest proportion of infections. The surge coincides with winter onset in the Northern Hemisphere and increased acute respiratory infections from other viruses including respiratory syncytial virus.

The vaccine currently circulating in Peru is the same formulation used in Europe and the United States, with 70 percent effectiveness according to scientific evidence, Quiroz said. He called for calm among the population, noting that while cases have increased in the United States and Europe, mortality and complications have not risen proportionally.

However, a Panamericana Televisión investigation found vaccine shortages at several Lima health posts despite the ministry maintaining a public list of vaccination centers. Staff at facilities including Micaela Bastidas in Ate and Pampas de San Juan in San Juan de Miraflores confirmed they lack influenza vaccine doses and have no defined replenishment dates. Valle Sharon health post in San Juan de Miraflores, which appears on the official ministry registry, also reported vaccines have not yet arrived, with officials expecting updates in coming days.

Quiroz stated that vaccination is not conducted at all facilities and that the ministry updates its vaccination center list daily. The ministry announced that a new vaccine targeting the variant is expected to arrive between March and April 2026.

The ministry urged the population to maintain updated vaccination schedules, practice hand hygiene, use masks in crowded spaces, and follow prevention measures. Omar Neyra, a public health expert, noted that the H3N2 mutation is an annual occurrence with influenza and represents a highly transmissible but not more aggressive variant compared to previous strains. He emphasized that vulnerable populations should exercise particular caution against respiratory viruses.