New York is experiencing the highest weekly flu hospitalizations ever recorded in the state, with 4,546 people admitted during the week ending December 27, marking a 24% increase compared to 3,666 hospitalizations the previous week, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to the New York State Department of Health.
This surge follows a record-breaking week for flu infections, when 72,133 new cases were reported during the week ending December 20. In response to rising influenza activity, the New York State Department of Health issued a declaration last month noting that influenza is prevalent throughout the state. Under this declaration, health care facilities and agencies are required to ensure that any staff members who have not received the current year’s flu vaccine wear masks in all areas where patients or residents are present.
Dr. James McDonald, New York State Health Commissioner, stated on Friday, “We are experiencing a more severe flu season than in previous years. Nearly 1,000 more people were admitted to hospitals during this recent seven-day period compared to the prior week.”
Across the United States, flu activity is also intensifying. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that at least 7.5 million Americans have fallen ill with influenza so far this season, resulting in approximately 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths. New York is among 20 states reporting “very high” levels of respiratory illness, according to the CDC’s latest data.
Health experts attribute much of this season’s activity to a new flu strain known as subclade K, a variant of the H3N2 influenza A virus. This strain has been circulating internationally since the summer and was a major factor in surges of flu cases in Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Among 1,600 flu samples tested by the CDC, roughly 92% were H3N2, with nearly 90% of those samples identified as subclade K.
Officials expect flu cases to continue rising in the coming weeks due to holiday gatherings and colder weather. The CDC currently recommends that everyone aged six months and older, with few exceptions, receive a flu vaccine. Annual vaccination prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related medical visits each year and is particularly important for individuals at higher risk of severe complications.
In New York, the flu vaccine is available for individuals aged two years and older at health care provider offices or participating pharmacies. Children aged six months and older can receive the vaccine at health care provider offices. Dr. McDonald emphasized, “There is still time to get a flu shot. Flu can also be treated with antiviral medications if started within 48 hours of symptom onset and deemed appropriate by a doctor.”
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