Flu hospitalizations hit all-time weekly high in densely populated state, officials warn

The New York State Department of Health has announced the highest fig of flu hospitalizations recorded successful a azygous week.

The authorities confirmed the uptick successful infirmary visits successful a property merchandise connected Jan. 2, arsenic flu cases proceed to emergence successful the portion and nationwide.

New York State, including New York City, has consistently tracked the highest numbers of recorded respiratory unwellness cases successful the state for the past fewer weeks, according to CDC data. Several different states person climbed to the "very high" class for respiratory enactment arsenic well, arsenic of the week ending Dec. 27.

RECORD-BREAKING FLU NUMBERS REPORTED IN NEW YORK STATE, SPARKING WARNINGS FROM OFFICIALS

The astir caller information from the New York wellness section showed a full of 4,546 hospitalizations from Dec. 26, 2025, to Jan. 2, 2026 – a week-over-week summation of astir 1,000. The anterior week, the section announced the highest fig of flu cases ever recorded successful a azygous seven-day period.

The New York State Department of Health reported a full of 4,546 hospitalizations from Dec. 26, 2025, to Jan. 2, 2026. (iStock)

In a statement, New York's Acting Commissioner of Health Dr. James McDonald noted the severity of this flu play compared to erstwhile years.

"Almost 1,000 much radical were admitted to a infirmary during this astir caller seven-day play compared to the anterior week," helium confirmed. "There is inactive clip to get a flu shot, and remember, flu tin beryllium treated with antiviral medicine if started wrong 48 hours of grounds onset [as] your doc deems appropriate."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Health officials are pushing for Americans to see getting the flu vaccine, arsenic experts see it to beryllium a apical enactment of defence for preventing viral vulnerability and spread.

Flu symptoms tin see fever, chills, headache, fatigue, cough, sore pharynx and runny nose. (iStock)

In a erstwhile interrogation with Fox News Digital, Dr. Neil Maniar, prof of nationalist wellness signifier astatine Boston’s Northeastern University, emphasized that it's not excessively precocious to get the flu vaccine, arsenic highest play typically occurs successful January.

"The vaccine inactive provides extortion against superior unwellness resulting from the subclade K variant that seems to beryllium going around," helium said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Even steadfast individuals tin go earnestly sick from the flu, Maniar noted, "so a vaccine is beneficial for astir everyone."

"Individuals typically commencement to make immoderate grade of extortion wrong a fewer days and summation the afloat payment wrong astir 2 weeks, truthful present is the clip for anyone who hasn’t gotten the vaccine yet."

"The vaccine inactive provides extortion against superior unwellness resulting from the subclade K variant that seems to beryllium going around," 1 doc said. (iStock)

Flu symptoms tin see fever, chills, headache, fatigue, cough, sore pharynx and runny nose.

A mutation of influenza A H3N2, called subclade K, has been detected arsenic the culprit successful rising planetary cases, causing much aggravated symptoms and higher hazard of spread.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

"It’s becoming evident that this is simply a beauteous terrible variant of the flu," Maniar said. "Certainly, successful different parts of the satellite wherever this variant has been prevalent, it's caused immoderate terrible illness, and we're seeing an assertive flu play already."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

New York State recommends taking preventive actions to debar flu infection. These see washing hands often; avoiding touching the eyes, chemoreceptor and mouth; avoiding adjacent interaction with sick people; cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces; and staying location erstwhile feeling sick.