[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

Yeah and when the seasonal flu required NYC to set up a tent city in Central Park it really hit home how unprepared we were for the seasonal flu.

Define "required". Define the need, which situation actually created this issue?

How many beds are taken up right now for Covid?

https://www.recordonline.com/news/20...0-cases-so-far

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, according to state health data. 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.

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.
In fact, flu cases in New York this season are expected to set record-high levels since state health officials began tracking flu cases during the 1998-99 season, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“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,” 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.

Local flu cases
(Reported to NY health officials during the week ending Feb. 8)

Westchester County: 909

Orange County: 258

Rockland County: 242

Dutchess County: 158

Ulster County: 78

Putnam County: 61

Sullivan County: 55

Source: New York State Department of Health

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.