The Ministry of Health (Minsa) informs the general public that the Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies (ICGES) has reported three cases of Influenza A (H3N2), variant K, in Panama.
During epidemiological week 51, the ICGES sequenced 10 samples of Influenza A (H3N2) received in November and December. Of these, three (3) tested positive for the K variant.
One of the samples, received in November, corresponds to a 23-year-old female patient residing in the Bella Vista district, Panama City. She was hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Santo Tomás Hospital on November 12, 2025. Her symptoms began on November 11, presenting with cough, runny nose, and difficulty breathing, along with severe asthma exacerbation and an upper respiratory tract infection.
The other two (2) samples, received in December, correspond to the following cases: One is a 40-year-old female patient treated at the Parque Lefevre Policentro for a mild respiratory infection (flu-like syndrome). She resides in the Parque Lefevre district, Panama, and reported no history of vaccination or travel.
The other case is a one-year-old male patient, hospitalized at the Children's Hospital on December 8, 2025, in the respiratory care unit. He has no history of vaccination or travel.
The cases from the Parque Lefevre Policentro and the Children's Hospital are part of the sentinel surveillance for respiratory viruses. To date, all reported cases have been discharged.
