New York is facing its worst flu season in decades while the international public-health focus remained affixed to the new coronavirus that remained largely contained to China.

There were 17,233 confirmed flu cases reported to health officials in New York during the week ending Feb. 8, a record-setting pace.

It was the second-highest weekly total since the 1998-1999 flu season, which is when the state first started tracking the data, according to state officials. The highest tally during a single week was 18,252 in 2017-18.

So far this flu season, there have been a total of 106,824 influenza cases reported in New York, with three flu-associated pediatric deaths, which is on track to surpass the 1998-99 season.

Last week alone, 1,993 New Yorkers were hospitalized with lab-confirmed influenza. So far this season, there have been 15,541 flu-related hospitalizations, and state health officials expect things could get even worse based on last week’s numbers.

"As flu season has not yet peaked across New York, I urge everyone to remain vigilant and take simple precautions to protect themselves and their families," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Thursday.

"I encourage all New Yorkers older than six months to get their flu shot - it's not too late," he added.

In contrast to flu cases piling up, New York as of Thursday had no confirmed cases of coronavirus, which has sickened more than 60,000 across the globe and killed nearly 1,400, mostly in China.

Why New York flu season is setting records

New York's flu season got off to an unusually fast start after public-health officials this fall warned of a potentially bad flu season following an outbreak in Australia, which is typically a predictor of similar trouble in the U.S.

While the national flu numbers aren't setting records like New York, authorities still estimated that so far this season there have been at least 22 million flu illnesses across the country.

Nationally, there have also been an estimated 210,000 flu-related hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths from flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, national flu hospitalization rates remain similar to this time during recent seasons, but rates among children and young adults are higher at this time than in recent seasons, the CDC said.

Which New York counties are getting hit hardest by flu

The tally of flu cases by county last week underscored the reach of the fast-spreading virus.

Outside New York City, the highest totals included Westchester County, at 909 flu cases, and Monroe County, at 695.

Oneida County had 391 flu cases; Broome County had 366; Orange County had 258; Rockland County had 242; and Dutchess County had 158.

For further details about the flu case totals for each county this season, visit the state Health Department's 'flu tracker' website, which can be accessed at www.health.ny.gov.

David Robinson is the state health care reporter for the USA TODAY Network New York. He can be reached atdrobinson@gannett.com and followed on Twitter:@DrobinsonLoHud

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