New York is experiencing a record number of hospitalizations due to the flu, and it could get worse.
In the week ending Dec. 27, 4,546 people were hospitalized with the flu, the New York State Department of Health said Friday. This is almost 1,000 more serious illnesses than the previous week and the most cases recorded in a single 7-day period.
“We are having a more severe flu season than previous years,” NYS Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald he said. “There is still time to get a flu shot and remember that flu can be treated with antivirals if started within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms and your doctor deems it appropriate.”
Hospitalizations also increased in central New York, from about 13 cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending December 20 to 20 cases per 100,000 the following week.
US Centers for Disease Control he said As of Monday, the number of flu cases nationwide increased by 33% from December 20th to December 27th. Thirty states, including New York, are currently listed as having “very high” flu activity.
The CDC estimates there have been at least 11 million illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths from the flu in the U.S. so far this season.
And cases likely haven’t peaked yet, thanks to a new “super variant” of the H3N2 virus known as “subclade K.” Flu season typically peaks in January, according to the health department, and cases increase in December when families and friends gather for the holidays.
“Seasonal flu activity is elevated across the country and continues to increase,” the CDC said. “From [2025’s] Week 52, the CDC’s in-season severity rating framework classified the season as moderate for the first time.
A major factor is the decline in vaccination rates since the Covid pandemic amid vaccine skepticism. As of December 31, only 24.2% of New Yorkers were estimated to have been vaccinated. was given; in Onondaga County it is slightly higher at 30.2%.
More than half of Americans typically get the seasonal flu vaccine, according to federal data. Dr. Kathryn Anderson, Onondaga County’s health commissioner, said recently that more than 40% of county residents typically receive the shot by early December.
McDonald urged New Yorkers to protect themselves and those around them by getting vaccinated, staying home when sick and “practicing daily precautions. Flu is treatable in high-risk people with antivirals if given within 48 hours of symptoms.”
Other tips include:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
“It’s not too late to get a flu shot, and the flu vaccine is widely available for people 6 months of age and older,” the Department of Health said. “Young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic medical conditions, and people age 65 and older are most at risk of developing serious complications from the flu.”
The seasonal flu vaccine remains the best protection against serious illness and death from the flu, the department added. Flu shots are available to New Yorkers age 2 and older at a health care provider’s office or participating pharmacies without a prescription; children 6 months and older can get the flu vaccine at a health care provider’s office.
For more information visit healthcare.ny.gov.
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