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Hernandez is given a flu shot in East Los Angeles during the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
(New York, NY) — Watch your back! The flu is on the hunt for you! Flu activity in New York state has surged sharply recently. As of late last month, state health officials reported almost 18-thousand flu cases statewide- with weekly cases doubling and hospitalizations rising nearly 99-percent compared to prior weeks. In New York City, cases jumped 119-percent in just one week, to over 4-thousand-100.
The spike appears to reflect an earlier-than-usual onset and experts warn the strain might hit harder than normal. Hospitals in the area have already reinstated mask mandates. Meantime, public health officials are strongly encouraging people to get their flu shots, especially as winter and holiday gatherings approach and more people are inside. In New Jersey, facilities like Hackensack Meridian Health and RWJBarnabas Health are asking visitors to mask up.
