An extraordinary late-season surge alerts New York flu warnings – The Daily Gazette

Albany — The surge in late-season influenza infections in New York has prompted warning recommendations from state health officials.

During the 15th to 18th week of the flu season (April 10th to May 7th), 32,037 new infections were identified across the state.

The average for the same four weeks over the last 10 years was only 3,430 cases.

Seasonal influenza outbreaks in New York usually begin slowly in the fall, peak at the end of winter, and gradually decline in the spring.

In the current influenza season, reported cases peaked earlier than usual in December, bottomed out in January and February, and began to recover in mid-March.

This bimodal pattern is unusual, and the State Department said in a recommendation to the medical community in New York on Friday that it is unclear if influenza activity will remain elevated or how long it will last.

DOH said it would extend influenza surveillance beyond the usual end date of May 31 and continue to provide up-to-date information as long as influenza activity is elevated.

In the week ending May 7, a total of 7,945 new cases were reported in New York, 90% of which were the A (H3) virus, which was predominant in the flu season in the state.

The A (H3) strain can cause illness in people of all ages, but DOH says it is known to be particularly infectious in infants and the elderly.

Of the 100,656 cases of influenza identified in lab tests up to May 7, 59% were under the age of 18. Of the more than 5,600 hospitalizations reported by that date, 42% were patients aged 65 and over.

Earlier this week, the State Department told The Daily Gazette:

“This is unusual, but not unprecedented. The last flu season was extended in 2013. These trends are not limited to New York. The flu season has been extended and continued. The increase in the number of cases is a national trend.

“The influenza season often varies in severity based on the influenza virus that is prevalent, the effectiveness of the vaccine for that season, and the number of individuals vaccinated.”

By May 14, DOH reported that 108,958 cases had been reported during the 2021-202 influenza season. This is the third highest total in the 13-year database maintained by DOH from 2009 to 2010.

The highest was in 2019-2020, with 157,758 confirmed cases, which occurred at the same time as the arrival of the COVID pandemic, which may have altered influenza testing and infection patterns.

The total of the second highest cases from 2017 to 2018 was 128,247. During the flu season, only 5,008 cases were identified during the 15-18 weeks, compared to 32,037 cases during the same four weeks this year.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett urged New Yorkers to protect themselves this week.

“It’s easy to be satisfied with the flu when our hearts are riding the latest waves of COVID-19 and the weather is warm,” she said in a news release. “But we know that the incidence of influenza is rising alongside COVID-19 cases, so we need to be vigilant and take precautions to stay healthy for the next few weeks. If you live in a high-risk county or are at personal risk, wear a mask in an indoor public space and stay home if you feel unwell. “

According to DOH, the flu vaccine is effective late in the season and can be given to anyone over 6 months until June 30th.

The following list of regional counties shows the seasonal totals of influenza from 2021 to 2022 and the seasonal averages from 2009 to 2010 in parentheses.

Albany: 667 (708)

Fulton: 147 (169)

Montgomery: 200 (208)

cleaner: 367 (336)

Saratoga: 1,215 (913)

Schenectady: 396 (694)

Show Harry: 81 (72)

New York: 108,598 (60,998)

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