New York flu cases have quadrupled from last year
Fewer than half of the adults in the New York State received a flu shot last year, according to the state health commissioner. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Flu season is off to a roaring and early start in New York with over 10,800 lab-confirmed cases so far, four times the 2,657 cases through this point last year.
"I don’t think the public is ready for this flu season," New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald told reporters Thursday during a briefing on respiratory virus season, at which he urged New Yorkers to get an influenza vaccine as soon as possible.
"We’re not seeing anything that looks reassuring yet about this flu season," he said. "It’s early, and when it’s early more people get sick."
There were 4,172 cases for the week ending Oct. 24, compared with 910 for the week ending Oct. 25, 2025, according to the state’s Seasonal Respiratory Virus Dashboard. The year-to-date figures for that week were 10,842 in 2026 and 2,657 in 2025.
Nassau County has had 1,034 lab-confirmed flu cases so far this year, and Suffolk has had 735.
More than 4,000 of the overall statewide cases were in children under the age of 17, data shows.
"Flu vaccine is more important this year as flu season is different this year," said McDonald, a pediatrician.
Health experts have been concerned about the drop in flu vaccinations in recent years, despite the vaccine's history of being safe and effective against serious illness and hospitalization. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the annual flu vaccine for everyone six years of age and older.
McDonald said fewer than half of the adults in the state received a flu shot last year. He said he is seeing some signs that vaccinations have ticked up in recent days but emphasized that it is vital to get vaccinated at least three weeks before Thanksgiving gatherings.
About 18% of eligible New Yorkers have received their flu shot this season. About 16% of people in Suffolk County and 19% of in Nassau County have been vaccinated.
It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to take effect.
"One of the things we are dealing with right now in the United States is almost an epidemic of misinformation," McDonald said, referring to social media and other sources.
The growth in vaccine hesitancy is apparent in discussions on social media pages on Long Island and across the nation. Regularly, there are posts from parents asking for pediatricians who won’t push vaccines on them, while others say they won’t vaccinate until their children are old enough for school. Many of the posts lead to spirited debates about the value and safety of various vaccines.
McDonald said people should keep in mind 27,000 people were hospitalized and 600 people died last year, including 15 children, because of the flu.
"We are trying to put out honest, objective information that is science-based and really just answer people’s questions as best we can," McDonald said.
Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.
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