“Flu cases are on the rise in Boston, and we are urging residents to protect themselves and their loved ones from respiratory illnesses which can cause hospitalization and severe illness,” said Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston.
The sharp increase in reported cases was observed during the week of Dec. 7-14, according to the Boston Public Health Commission.
“And cases are continuing to climb in the days since Dec. 14,” said Andrew Lemos, a communications director for the commission.
The recent spike comes at a time when influenza spreads easily as people gather indoors, officials said.
The uptick is happening about a month earlier than it did last flu season, when Boston saw flu cases spike in January, officials said.
In recent weeks, the rate of infection increased most rapidly among children, officials said.
Between Dec. 7-14, health officials said they calculated a 217 percent increase in flu cases among children ages 5-17.
Among kids age 5 and younger, cases increased 83 percent during the same time frame, the city said.
Emergency room pediatricians have been seeing the increase firsthand for weeks, the Globe reported.
At UMass Memorial Health–Milford Regional Medical Center, roughly 75 percent of children treated during one overnight shift late last week tested positive for the flu, said Dr. Jeanne McCoy, chair of pediatrics at the hospital.
“This year, it started a little more abruptly, and the number of cases we saw became much higher at a much faster rate than we’re usually seeing,” McCoy told the Globe.
To avoid more severe illness, health officials are encouraging residents to get vaccinated against the virus, “especially children and older individuals who are also at high risk,” the city said.
“It is not too late to get vaccinated,” Ojikutu said.
To protect yourself against the flu and reduce its spread, wear a face mask, especially “in crowded spaces,” health officials said.
People should also consider wearing a mask if you or someone in your household are at increased risk of severe disease, officials said.
Boston health officials suggest visiting vaccinefinder.org to learn more about vaccines available in your area. Updates on free Boston Public Health Commission flu vaccine clinics can be found at boston.gov/vaccines-clinics.
Reporting from previous Globe coverage was included in this report.
Claire Thornton can be reached at claire.thornton@globe.com. Follow Claire on X @claire_thornto.