CITYWIDE — NEW YORK CITY recorded more than 146,000 positive flu cases so far this respiratory virus season, with over 1,700 lab-reported cases in the week ending Feb. 7 — the first weekly increase since late December, according to new data from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released Feb. 12.
Children under 18 account for 52% of cases. Emergency room visits and hospitalizations tied to flu continued to decline and remained under 0.5% of all visits. City officials reported four pediatric flu deaths this season and urged residents to get vaccinated as flu activity may continue through early May.
COVID-19 cases remained low but ticked up slightly, while respiratory syncytial virus cases, also known as RSV, stayed elevated among children under 5.
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