New York’s Influenza Epidemic has Reached Dangerous Proportions

Rob Grams • February 6, 2018

New York's Influenza Epidemic has Reached Dangerous Proportions

New York’s influenza epidemic has reached worrying record numbers and it’s not slowing down. For the third week in a row, we see record numbers of cases, with two flu-related deaths in NYC.

Last week we confirmed that, for the week ending on January 22, there were 7,779 laboratory-confirmed influenzas in New York, a record in New York. The spike in cases of influenza marked a 28% increase. Well, the epidemic isn’t slowing down, it’s speeding up.

Time to break out those vitamin C tablets NYC, the NY Health Department confirmed that, for the week ending on January 27, there were 11,683 laboratory-confirmed influenzas, a 50% increase from the week before. Influenza-related hospitalizations rose 21% to 2,221, breaking the state record for the third week in a row. If you don’t want sore bones, snotty sinuses, and a killer headache, get those flu shots, NOW!

The weekly flu diagnoses and hospitalizations numbers have reached the highest on record (since records began in 2004) in New York.

Due to this alarming increase in influenza cases, last week, Governor Cuomo signed an executive order permitting pharmacists to give flu vaccines to children ages 2 to 18.

Fox5NY reported that the New York City Health Department confirmed that two children died in Queens due to influenza. Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker advises everyone over 6 months old is encouraged to get a flu shot as soon as possible. He says the vaccine is especially important for people at high risk of complications from flu, including children under 2, pregnant women and adults over 65.

Read the full New York State Department of Health report HERE.

Everyone over six months old should get a flu shot as soon as possible, Emergen-C might not cut it, that goes double for children under 2, pregnant women and adults over 65. Healthcare workers who haven’t had a shot have to now wear masks around patients.

Typically flu season in the state goes on from October through to May, usually finding it’s peak in February. Hopefully, we should see numbers start to fall as we move into the middle of February. You’ve been warned SecretNYCers!

Featured image source [Health.mil]