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Flu cases are continuing to decline across the Hudson Valley region, offering residents a welcome respite from the season's earlier surge. According to the latest data for the week ending January 31st, Westchester County reported 300 infections, followed by Orange County with 127 cases and Rockland County with 99.
This marks a significant decrease from previous weeks where Westchester County had reported 837 cases for the week ending January 17, 1,238 cases for the week ending January 10, and a staggering 3,026 cases for the week ending December 27, according to data from local health departments.
The downward trend in the Hudson Valley mirrors what had been a national pattern, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting several weeks of decline in flu activity across the United States. However, health officials are now warning of a potential "second peak" in the flu season.
Following a brief three-week decline, the CDC reports there's an uptick in new flu cases nationwide, with confirmed cases up nearly 20 percent in the past week.
Health experts note that influenza B strains are typically more common during the second half of the flu season, and new data shows an increase in influenza B across the nation. Meanwhile, Influenza A(H3N2) remains the dominant strain overall.
This flu season has been particularly concerning because the H3N2 strain historically causes more hospitalizations and deaths in older people. About 90% of H3N2 infections analyzed this season were a new strain that differs from the version included in this year's flu shots.
The season has also seen a large number of children hospitalized, with 52 reported flu-associated pediatric deaths so far. Health officials note that about 90 percent of these deaths were among children who weren't fully vaccinated.
At Phelps Hospital in Westchester County, doctors have observed higher numbers of flu cases compared to last year. "The number of flu cases and hospitalizations we are seeing are much higher this season than the same time last year," said Dr. Barry Geller, Associate Medical Director and Chair of Emergency Medicine at Phelps Hospital.
Despite the declining numbers in the Hudson Valley, health officials continue to emphasize the importance of vaccination. Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins recently urged county residents to get vaccinated, noting that it "reduces the risk of having to go to the doctor by 40 to 60 percent."
Anyone who has yet to receive a flu shot is being urged to do so. To find a clinic in your neighborhood, head to vaccines.gov.