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With flu infections on the rise, an expert shares what to know about influenza and why it’s not too late to get a flu shot. This article originally appeared in NewYork-Presbyterian’s Health Matters. By Julia Morrill  Manhattan Voice  February 4, 2025 Follow @x NEW YORK - Flu season is in full swing, and cases are increasing across the country. About 21,000 people tested positive for the flu during the first week of January, a nearly 20% rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Seasonal flu — a respiratory illness that can cause mild to severe symptoms — is highly contagious. Over the past decade, the number of annual flu cases in the U.S. has ranged from 9 million and 40 million, and symptoms can range from annoying to debilitating. “The flu is nasty, and the best way to protect yourself is with the vaccine,” says Dr. Keith Roach, a general internist and an associate attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/...

This article originally in NewYork-Presbyterian Health Matters. An infectious disease expert explains the surge in flu, COVID-19, and RSV and whether it’s a cause for concern. By Dorothy Cucci  Manhattan Voice  November 3, 2024 Follow @x NEW YOR K - It’s common for cases of respiratory illnesses to spike during the winter months, but ever since COVID-19 hit, the potential of a “tripledemic” — COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus ( RSV ), and influenza peaking at the same time — is always looming. This fall, there was also an uptick of Mycoplasma pneumonia (known colloquially as “white lung syndrome”) among children in Ohio, adding to the concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the amount of respiratory illness activity continues to  be “high” or “very high” in the majority of the United States as of January 19. “We tend to see an increase in respiratory illnesses in late October and November leading into December and January,...