Samantha Vargas Mora died after a long battle from flu-related complications. Her family organized a GoFundMe page to assist with the payments for both funeral and medical expenses. (Courtesy/GoFundMe)
By Theodore Ball, Nebraska Public Media
Samantha Vargas Mora loved her Lakeview Vikings. The Lakeview High School junior rarely missed a game or activity – always cheering, always encouraging, always showing up for her school and community.
She never made it to the end of her junior year.
Samantha died March 28 after spending nearly three months at Children’s Hospital in Omaha following complications from a case of the flu she contracted in December, according to her family. She was 17.
Her family described her as a role model to her younger cousins, nieces and nephews, and said she was known at Lakeview for her spirit and loyalty. Her family said she fought with remarkable strength and that they never left her side.
Her death came at the tail end of a flu season that hit younger patients particularly hard. Dr. Mark Rupp, professor and interim chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said Nebraska saw a steep and moderately severe surge.
University of Nebraska Medical Center professor Dr. Mark Rupp. (Courtesy/University of Nebraska Medical Center)
“We had a relatively severe or moderately severe influenza season when we compare it to previous years,” Rupp said. “We saw a very, very steep increase in cases kind of at the very end of 2025 and in the first few weeks of 2026.”
The dominant strain driving that surge was H3N2 subclade K – a variant that created a mismatch with this season’s flu vaccine.
Tim Tessmer, chief medical officer at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said the variant spread more easily because of its genetic mutations.
“That subclade K variant… that’s sort of a genetically drifted variant of the flu A virus, was the early surge virus in the beginning of the season,” Tessmer said. “And what made that significant was that it tended, because of its genetic mutations, to spread more easily to people.”
Tessmer said while this season was serious, it was less severe overall than last year’s.
“If you’re comparing this current season’s flu season compared to last year, which would be the 2024-25 season, it’s been less severe overall,” Tessmer said. “Now, that’s not to say that it’s been pretty light because it has been on par with prior seasons. But the 2024-2025 influenza season was particularly bad.”
Dr. Timothy Tesmer, chief medical officer at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Courtesy/Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services)
The mismatch between the circulating strain and the vaccine reduced its effectiveness this season, according to Rupp.
“This resulted in some degree of a mismatch between the strains that were in the vaccine versus what we saw circulating in the community,” Rupp said. “The estimates for the vaccine effectiveness in preventing confirmed cases of flu is probably in the range of about 30% to 40%.”
Rupp said despite the vaccine’s lower effectiveness against this season’s dominant strain, vaccination remains critical.
“The truth of the matter is that 30% or 40% is better than 0%, and the vaccine is safe,” Rupp said. “The degree of side effects and toxicity from the vaccine are so minimal for almost everybody that it really does pay off to get the vaccine.”
According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the state recorded nearly 14,000 positive flu tests this season with an overall test positivity rate of 15%. The state confirmed nearly 60 flu-associated deaths, including fewer than six pediatric deaths. State and local health officials declined to provide details about pediatric flu deaths this season, citing patient privacy.
Nationally, the toll was significant. According to CDCs FluView report for the week ending March 14, 115 children died from flu-associated illness this season. Approximately 85% of those children had not been fully vaccinated against influenza.
Rupp said when flu turns catastrophic, it typically follows one of two paths.
“The primary system that is infected with influenza virus is the respiratory tract,” Rupp said. “People who really get into trouble develop influenza pneumonia — infection of the lung — and that can result in very severe illness and death.”
He said a secondary bacterial infection is another common way flu becomes life-threatening.
“The influenza virus causes aberrations in the epithelial cells — that’s the lining of your lungs and your respiratory tract — and it makes those cells and those organ systems much more susceptible to bacterial invasion and infection,” Rupp said. “One of the places we frequently see people getting into trouble is they have a respiratory virus and then they get a secondary bacterial infection that results in pneumonia or invasion into the bloodstream. And that’s where people can get very severely ill fairly quickly.”
Rupp said early diagnosis and treatment are critical, and the window for treatment is narrow.
“You’ve got to get that diagnosis made within the first 24 to 48 hours of feeling ill in order for these medications to have much effect,” he said. “These diseases do masquerade as one another… it’s important to get that diagnosis established, and then if you do have COVID or influenza, there are medications that can be started.”
East Central Health District chief public health officer, Molly Pofahl.(Courtesy/East Central Health District)
In the East Central Health District, which includes Columbus, Chief Public Health Officer Molly Pofahl said nothing stood out, but flu activity this season aligned with what the state and nation saw, including younger patients among the most affected.
“For healthy people, it’s usually manageable,” Pofahl said. “For those younger kids, we’re seeing more severe cases or increased cases. And especially people who have chronic conditions… they are at higher risk.”
Pofahl said several schools in the district reported elevated absenteeism in early 2026, causing outreach from the health department.
“Starting in January or February is when we saw the pretty large spike in school absenteeism,” Pofahl said. “There’s been a few schools throughout the jurisdiction that have reported that.”
Pofahl clarified that the schools within the East Central’s district tend to have smaller enrollment, which may cause trigger higher absenteeism rates.
Tessmer said the public health message this season is consistent with what health officials recommend every year.
“Stay home when one is sick,” Tessmer said. “The hygiene measures of washing your hands frequently with soap and cleaning frequently touched surfaces — doorknobs, handrails, light switches — that type of thing.”
Both Pofahl and Dr. Rupp echoed proactive plans emphasizing vaccination as the most important step. Pofahl said that receiving vaccinations is still the best preventative measure.
“The best prevention is the vaccination, staying home when you’re sick and early treatment if you are at higher risk,” Pofahl said. “Even if it doesn’t prevent you from getting the flu, it will lessen your symptoms and lessen the likelihood that you’ll suffer serious complications from the flu.”
Looking ahead to next season, Rupp said vaccine manufacturers are already working to correct the mismatch. His message was direct — get vaccinated.
“Although influenza vaccine is far from perfect, it doesn’t prevent 100% of illness or the complications of flu — it’s still the best tool that we have in the toolbox to fight influenza,” Rupp said. “Anybody over six months of age should be getting the flu vaccine next fall.”
A Mass of Christian Burial for Samantha is scheduled for April 10 at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Columbus.
Samantha’s family has organized a GoFundMe to help cover medical and funeral expenses.
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