In a new social media post, a U.S. Congressman is demanding answers about what led to a major flu outbreak at a military base.
On Friday, U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro of Texas’s 20th congressional district updated the public on an ongoing Flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base, which has now spread to over 200 cases.
The Air Force told my office there are now 222 flu cases as of yesterday. We need answers. https://t.co/96XQPg6Cxs
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) June 19, 2026
This comes after a series of posts on Thursday, where the congressman shared concerns surrounding the outbreak, as well as the death of an airman recruit the same week.
After Secretary Hegseth scrapped the military’s flu vaccine mandate, it was only a matter of time before an outbreak occurred. It was a reckless decision that put troops in harm’s way and undermined our military readiness. At the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, nearly 160… https://t.co/yvMGxcMwBr
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) June 19, 2026
It remains unclear if the recruit’s death is directly tied to or in any way involved with the flu outbreak, which Castro says has predominantly affected basic training recruits.





















