New York state logged the most flu cases ever recorded in a single week as hospitalizations surged past last winter’s peak — a development Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said caught his attention.
“It just shows that flu season’s more severe in New York this year, and we’re not even close to the peak yet,” McDonald said, noting that recent holiday gatherings are likely fueling continued spread. “When we’re together, we spread love and joy, but we also spread our germs.”
Officials reported 71,123 new cases for the seven days ending Dec. 20. The new weekly toll marks a 38% week-over-week surge in laboratory-confirmed flu infections. It’s a milestone in an already rough flu season that arrived early and drove down attendance at the city’s public schools during the week leading into the holidays.
Hospitalizations tied to influenza jumped sharply, with 3,666 New Yorkers requiring inpatient care compared to 2,251 the week before, continuing a trend of rising severe cases.
“We can look at how hospitals are doing around New York every two hours, so we can monitor whether hospitals are being overwhelmed or not,” McDonald said. “Right now things are going smoothly, but this is something we’re paying close attention to.”
Health officials declared influenza “prevalent” across New York state earlier this month, requiring health care facilities to have unvaccinated personnel wear masks around patients and residents. The designation reflects widespread transmission across all regions.
McDonald said it was too early to say when the season would reach its peak, but warned “it is gonna get worse before it gets better.”
State health officials say it’s not too late to get a flu vaccine. This year’s vaccination rate is roughly in line with past years. But this year’s flu strain is more severe, McDonald said, so “if you haven’t had your flu vaccine this year, this is the year to get it.”
Those who are sick — especially children, people who are older or people who have underlying health conditions — should reach out to their doctors for antiviral drugs that can reduce symptoms and complications. However, the drugs must be started within 48 hours of coming down with the flu to be most effective.
People who are feeling ill “should really not go to work or not visit family,” McDonald said.
He also suggested those who are immunocompromised or have a serious underlying disease wear an N95 or KN95 mask in crowded indoor spaces.
COVID-19 and RSV — another respiratory illness — also continue to circulate, but state data shows COVID-19 hospitalizations have been relatively stable in recent weeks and RSV activity has seen smaller increases compared with influenza.
