Flu Season Record Broken in New York State
New York State has set a new record that is not likely to get much celebration. The state now has more documented cases of seasonal influenza than it ever has had since records started being kept.
While some numbers are on the decline, including new cases reported for the week, the State Health Department says as of February 22, there had been 131-thousand, 604 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu this season. Previously, the most cases in a season was 128-thousand, 892 in 2017-2018.
The flu season generally runs from October to May.
In a release from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Office, health officials say the number of laboratory-confirmed cases decreased 26 percent for the week and hospitalizations fell 13 percent.
While the documented number of cases has hit a record high, the bright spot is that the number of new cases and hospitalizations have decreased for a second consecutive week.
Officials still encourage anyone who has not done so yet, to get a flu shot as several more weeks of the season remain.
More information on New York flu statistics can be found at the state Health Department website.