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The Capital Region of New York is experiencing a significant surge in flu cases, with Albany County reporting the highest number of infections at 333 during the week ending January 25. Saratoga County followed with 267 cases, and Schenectady County reported 215 cases. Since the start of the flu season in October, there have been over 230,000 confirmed cases across New York State.
According to the New York State Department of Health, flu activity has been categorized as geographically widespread for the past four weeks, with over 5,800 hospitalizations due to influenza. The department emphasizes the importance of flu vaccinations, especially for children and older adults who are at higher risk of complications.
Hospitals in the region, including Ellis Medicine in Schenectady, have implemented visitation restrictions to curb the spread of the virus. The increase in flu cases has also led to emergency department diversions and longer transport times for patients in areas like Saratoga Springs.
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald has urged residents to get vaccinated against the flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The flu vaccine takes about two weeks to become fully effective, and antivirals can lessen the severity of symptoms if taken at the onset of illness.
For more information on flu cases and hospitalizations, the NYS Flu tracker is updated weekly.