ALBANY -- The flu was so bad last week in New York, it was the worst since the state started recording it 14 years ago.
The Department of Health reported the number of lab-confirmed influenza cases last week was 6,083, an increase of more than 50 percent from the week before.
There were 1,606 people hospitalized with confirmed cases of the flu in New York last week. That was the highest weekly amount of cases reported since the Department of Health began reporting back in 2004.
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged New Yorkers to get a flu shot to try to help to cut down on the illness.
"With flu cases on the rise, New Yorkers should take steps to get vaccinated and protect themselves and their loved ones," Cuomo said Thursday.
"I am directing the Department of Health to work with local providers to help protect our communities from this flu outbreak, and I urge all New Yorkers to visit local health centers and get vaccinated as soon as possible.
”So far this flu-season there have been over 17,000 confirmed cased of influenza in New York. Over 5,000 people have had to be hospitalized because of the flu this season.
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Flu everywhere
The county with the highest number of confirmed flu cases reported so far this season was Brooklyn with 1,627 cases.
Last year, the Department of Health reported that there were almost 13,000 flu-related hospitalizations in New York. On average in the state there are around 10,000 flu hospitalizations each year.
The governor directed the Department of Health to continue working with hospitals and health care facilities across the state to ensure they have adequate supplies, vaccines and the antiviral medications used to treat influenza.
The Department of Health has also been directed to stay in contact with the Centers for Disease Control to ensure New York continues to have adequate flu vaccines.
The CDC recommends that anyone who thinks they may have the flu or is experiencing flu-like symptoms should be treated with the antiviral drug.
What to do
Symptoms of the flu can include, coughing, fever, chills, sore throat, a stuffy or runny nose, body aches, headaches, vomiting or diarrhea.
Anyone with influenza can be contagious up to a week after becoming sick and are able to infect other people a full day before they experience symptoms young children may be contagious for longer according to the CDC.
The flu is spread through droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk and are then inhaled by another person according to the CDC.
It can be spread to others up to six feet away so it is recommended that anyone who thinks they may be sick stay home from school or work to avoid infecting others.
Recommended steps
Good hand washing, using an alcohol-based hand wash and frequently washing items used by someone who is sick can help to prevent the flu from spreading.
The State Department of Health recommends that everyone over 6 months old get a yearly flu shot.
Young children, pregnant women and people over 65 and people with certain chronic medical issues are the most at risk for contracting the flu.
“Influenza is a potentially deadly disease, and getting vaccinated is the best thing New Yorkers can do to protect themselves and those around them, followed by good hand hygiene," said Howard Zucker, the state health commissioner, said in a statement.
