FACT CHECK: No class, work suspensions because of ‘super flu’ outbreak

2026-01-28 - 13:11

Claim: Work and classes will be suspended from January 28 to 31 because of a “super flu” outbreak. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: Several posts bearing variations of the claim have been circulating on Facebook, with the most popular one gaining 983 shares and 167 reactions. The pages that posted this claim present themselves as news outlets, with page names such as “News Update Ph,” “Walang Pasok Advisory,” and “Philippines Weather Advisory.” The posts use similar captions and photos. “Dahil sa pagtaas ng kaso ng ‘super flu,’ inanunsyo ng ilang local government units (LGUs) ang suspensyon ng klase at trabaho sa piling mga lugar mula Enero 28 hanggang Enero 31, 2026,” the caption says. (Due to the increase in “super flu” cases, several local government units have announced the suspension of classes and work in selected areas from January 28 to January 31, 2026.) The posts also include links claiming to contain a list of areas where the supposed class and work suspensions have been declared. Some of the photos used in the posts list details that are inconsistent with the captions. One such post presents itself as a supposed announcement from the Department of Education (DepEd) about the alleged suspension of face-to-face classes from January 28 to 30. The facts: DepEd debunked the claim in a January 27 Facebook post, calling the false posts “fake news.” The department also encouraged the public to follow its official website and social media accounts for accurate information. Additionally, there are no credible media reports about any local government in the Philippines declaring sweeping work or class suspensions, allegedly because of the “super flu.” The links included in the false posts also lead to unrelated shopping sites. Contrary to the claim, these links do not lead to a list of areas where the supposed suspensions have been declared. ‘Super flu’ cases not alarming: “Super flu,” officially identified as subclade K, is a mutated variant of influenza A that causes seasonal flu. It was detected in at least 30 countries in 2025, especially in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). But the emergence of this variant is not a cause for alarm, according to the Department of Health (DOH) and medical experts. (READ MORE: ‘No need to panic’: What you need to know about the ‘super flu’) In the Philippines, the DOH recorded 63 cases from January 1 to December 27 last year. While there was an increase in super flu cases in the country, the DOH said most patients have recovered, and no deaths were reported, according to a January 13 article from the Philippine Star. The WHO’s risk assessment also shows that the disease is unlikely to become more severe. “As we very well know, flu is a self-limiting illness, unless [you have a] medical condition, or [you are] elderly, so we still recommend the use of the flu vaccine,” said health secretary Ted Herbosa. He also warned Filipinos traveling to temperate countries like North America and the United Kingdom to be aware that the illness is spreading there. Previous fact-checks: Rappler has previously debunked several false claims about disease outbreaks: FACT CHECK: No nationwide curfew due to flu-like cases FACT CHECK: Circulating list of areas under lockdown due to flu-like cases is fake FACT CHECK: No presidential order suspending classes due to influenza-like illness FACT CHECK: No flu outbreak causing lockdown, mandatory face mask use FACT CHECK: No news report about Metro Manila lockdown due to mpox – Shay Du/Rappler.com Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.