New York Faces Severe Flu Season with Rising Hospitalizations

New York is dealing with a tough flu season, with a lot of people getting very sick. In just one week, over 4, 500 people were hospitalized with the flu. That's a big jump from the week before, where around 3, 600 people were hospitalized. This is the highest number of flu hospitalizations in a single week that New York has ever seen. The state is also seeing a lot of flu cases. In one week alone, there were over 72, 000 infections. Because of this, health officials have made rules to keep people safe. Anyone working in healthcare who hasn't gotten the flu shot has to wear a mask around patients. The flu isn't just a problem in New York. All over the country, more people are getting sick. So far this season, there have been millions of flu illnesses, tens of thousands of hospitalizations, and even some deaths. New York is one of the states with the highest levels of respiratory illness.Experts say that a new strain of the flu virus, called subclade K, is making a lot of people sick. This strain is a type of H3N2 virus, which is a common cause of the flu. Almost all of the flu samples tested by the CDC were this type of virus. And most of those were the new subclade K strain. The flu season is expected to get worse in the coming weeks. This is because of holiday gatherings and colder weather, which makes it easier for the flu virus to spread. Health officials are urging everyone to get a flu shot. The vaccine can prevent millions of illnesses and is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick. In New York, the flu shot is available for anyone 2 years and older at healthcare provider's offices or pharmacies. For children younger than 2, the vaccine is also available at healthcare provider's offices. If someone does get the flu, it's important to remember that antiviral medication can help, but it has to be started within 48 hours of symptoms starting.