Influenza (flu) in New York City
Is the flu going around in New York City?
Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza A and B viruses. It is not the same as a cold: it tends to hit suddenly, with fever, aches and exhaustion that can keep you in bed for days.
In New York City, flu season generally runs from October through May and most often peaks between December and February. Because the city is dense and commutes are shared, flu tends to move through neighborhoods, schools and offices quickly once it takes hold.
Know the signs
Influenza (flu) symptoms
- Sudden fever or feeling feverish
- Chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Vomiting or diarrhea (more common in children)
How it spreads
Flu spreads through droplets when people cough, sneeze or talk, and less often by touching a contaminated surface and then your face. People are contagious from about a day before symptoms start until roughly five to seven days after.
The local picture
Flu in the five boroughs
Official flu counts for New York City are published weekly by NYC Health, and the New York State Department of Health tracks laboratory-confirmed influenza by county across the state. HealthNarc imports those published counts, so the flu picture on the map is grounded in confirmed lab results rather than guesses.
Community reports fill in the gap between weekly bulletins. If fever, body aches and cough are being reported around you this week, you will see it here first.
What to do
An annual flu vaccine is the best protection and is recommended for nearly everyone six months and older. Antiviral medication can shorten the illness if started within the first two days, so contact a provider early if you are at higher risk.
Where the data comes from
Sources for Flu data
The live figure above is the citywide count from the official feed HealthNarc imports (NYC Health or the CDC’s National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System) for the latest four published weeks, compared with the four weeks before. Where no official feed exists, it falls back to community reports from the last 28 days. For exposure notices and guidance, use these sources:
In the news
Flu headlines
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Headlines link to their publishers. HealthNarc does not verify or endorse outside reporting.
Common questions
Flu in NYC: questions people ask
- When is flu season in New York City?
- Flu activity in NYC usually starts to climb in October or November, peaks between December and February, and can continue into May. Some seasons start early or peak twice, which is why a live view is more useful than the calendar.
- Is it the flu or COVID-19?
- Both cause fever, cough, sore throat, aches and fatigue, and both circulate in winter. A test is the only way to be sure, and it matters because the antiviral treatments are different.
- Where do the flu numbers come from?
- From the official weekly counts published by NYC Health and the New York State Department of Health. HealthNarc imports those datasets and combines them with community symptom reports.
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