Influenza cases are spiking across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week reported flu-related doctor visits were at a 15-year high.

Flu season runs from October to May, with peak infection rates typically seen in February. According to New York state’s weekly flu tracker, cases are still climbing.

“We’ve had more cases and hospitalizations this year than we’ve had in the previous three or four years,” said Bryon Backenson, the director of the New York state Department of Health’s Bureau of Communicable Disease Control. “We’ve seen nearly 300,000 cases of flu so far in the 2024-2025 flu season and just under 20,000 hospitalizations so far.”

Health experts say everyone is impacted by the flu, but it’s particularly dangerous for children and seniors.

“The youngest and the oldest – it can be the most severe. One of the things we do track is pediatric flu deaths, deaths for children under age 18. We’ve had nine so far this year. We often typically see deaths in the thousands for adults over age 60,” said Backenson.

An often-overlooked risk of getting the flu is the impact on hearts.

“If you have a family history of heart disease, or you yourself have risk factors for heart disease, it’s a great idea to get the flu vaccine. There are studies that show heart attacks go up during flu season, there are studies that show that influenza vaccine actually reduces the risk of new heart attacks,” said Dr. Danielle Wales, a primary care physician at Albany Med Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.

Wales said it’s not too late to get vaccinated. Beyond that, regular hand-washing, wearing a mask and staying home when you’re sick are simple steps to protect yourself and your community.