Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- It’s almost Memorial Day, so one would think flu season is over, but the CDC reports that New York is the only state with widespread flu activity.
Doctor K. Bruce Simmons, with SUNY Upstate Medical University, says he’s seen an uptick in flu cases, but it’s still surprisingly lower than 2011. The unusual thing about this flu season is that it’s lasted much longer than in years past.
“We actually have seen more cases more recently, and in fact, in our hospital, we even started seeing cases as early as March,” Dr. Simmons said.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently mapped out which states had the most flu activity in the past few weeks, and while most states have only seen sporadic or no activity, the virus is widespread in New York State.
Simmons says the flu shot is one of the best ways to shield yourself because no one knows how long this flu season will last.
"It’s still a very good idea to get the flu shot because they are protective in the majority of people, but you can't say you got the flu shot so you won't get the flu," Dr. Simmons explained.
Doctors say flu sufferers are contagious 24 hours before symptoms develop and they stay contagious at least one week after that.
