Flu Season Starts Early in New York City as Cases Rise Fast

Flu season has started early in New York City as doctors are reporting a sharp jump in cases weeks sooner than normal. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York City and nearby

areas like Long Island and northern New Jersey are reporting the country’s highest levels of flu-like illness. Doctors say flu infections are climbing quickly. According to Dr Michelle Morse, New York City’s acting health commissioner, more people should get vaccinated and take precautions if they feel sick. She said flu cases are skyrocketing in the nation’s largest city. Schools in the city have closed after roughly one-third of students were ill over just a few days, school officials said. The closure allowed staff to conduct an “intensive disinfection" of the building before reopening. Experts say the flu strain spreading this season - H3N2 - has changed in ways that may help it dodge parts of the immune system. Emergency rooms across New York City are already feeling the impact. During one week in late November, the number of ER patients diagnosed with flu jumped from 0.6 to 1.6 per cent, then rose again to 3.4 per cent the following week, according to city health data. By the end of November, New York City recorded more than 10,000 lab-confirmed flu cases, a level that wasn’t reached until late December last year. Across the state, more than 3,000 people have been hospitalized with the flu so far, nearly 10 per cent of last season’s total.

Vaccination rates are low

Doctors say vaccination rates are low, as just 22 per cent of New Yorkers outside the city have received a flu shot this season. In New York City, just over 25 per cent of children ages six months and older are vaccinated, a 6.5 per cent drop compared with the same time last year, health officials said. The CDC’s map of influenza-like illness, based on data from health care visits across the country, rates New York City and the surrounding region as having had some of the highest levels of flu-like activity in the United States during the first few days of December. Denver had similar rates, as did New Orleans. Only Lafayette, La., not quite 150 miles to the west of New Orleans, had a higher rate of patient visits for flu-like symptoms.

What is the H3N2 influenza virus?

H3N2 influenza is a type of seasonal flu caused by the influenza A virus. It is one of the several strains of the flu virus that circulate every year, but H3N2 is known for causing more severe illness and faster spread compared to some other strains. This virus primarily attacks the respiratory system, leading to symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches. While anyone can contract H3N2, older adults, young children, and people with chronic health conditions are more likely to experience complications. Each flu season, the virus can undergo small changes, which is why annual vaccination and preventive measures are important to reduce infection risk.