NJ Flu Cases Triple As Vaccination Rates Go Down, Worrying Experts

New Jersey flu cases were nearly three times higher this November compared to November 2024. This, along with lower vaccination rates and a new flu strain, has doctors worried about what's to come this season.

Between Nov. 1 and Nov. 29 of this year, a total of 4,366 cases of the flu were reported by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). That is almost triple the amount of cases reported between Nov. 2 and Nov. 30 last year, which saw 1,539 reported cases.

Of the cases reported this past November, 834, nearly 20 percent, were children between the ages of 0 and 4. No flu-related deaths have been reported in New Jersey yet this flu season, but four of the cases have been labeled severe, as of Nov. 29.

Dr. Ed Lifshitz, the Medical Director for the NJDOH, says that the figures reported are "nowhere near the total number of cases in the state," given that many flu cases go unreported.

"This year's flu season has gotten off to a little bit later start than it did last year, but it's also gone up pretty rapidly," Lifshitz told Patch. "It's unpredictable exactly how bad this flu season is going to be. What we do know is this: It's going to be worse than it is right now."

Lifshitz said two factors that have experts worried about this year's flu season: dwindling vaccination rates and a stronger flu strain.

According to CDC data, around 40.3 percent of New Jersey children six months and older had received the flu vaccination by the end of November 2024, down roughly three percent from 2023. This year, just 38.1 percent of children got the jab by the end of November.

Lifshitz says there are a number of reasons why New Jerseyans have been less inclined to get the flu vaccination over the last few years.

"It's a combination of things. People do have some 'vaccination fatigue,' where they're just tired of getting the shots," Lifshitz said. "But also... Unfortunately, it has become somewhat of a more politicized event. In years gone by, you had pretty much the same percentages of Democrats, Republicans, or whoever getting vaccinated. Now, over time, you tend to see a divergence there, where, depending on people's political beliefs, it does affect their likelihood of getting vaccinated."

The newest flu strain, an Influenza H3N2 mutation known as “subclade K,” also has experts worried.

"The type of flu that is circulating right now has mutations in it, which take it a little bit further away than the strains that have circulated in the past," Lifshitz said. "People can not have as much immunity to it as they have in the past... There's some suggestion that it can cause a worse flu season than typical."

Although the current flu vaccine offers protection against the H3N2 strain, it doesn’t cover subclade K, which hadn’t been identified when the vaccine was developed. The variant has mutated seven times, making H3N2 an even more serious threat, according to experts.

Read More: New Flu Mutation Causes Severe Illness: See Latest NJ Data

Nevertheless, state officials are urging parents and their children to get vaccinated for the flu, calling it “the best way for New Jerseyans to protect themselves during cold and flu season.”

“We would encourage every child to be vaccinated, particularly at the younger ages when they're most vulnerable,” Lifshitz said. "It's not too late to vaccinate, even though the flu season has started... As people gather for the holidays, flu will spread as well. I would encourage people to protect themselves, protect their families, protect their loved ones... If they haven't been vaccinated, go ahead and get vaccinated."

Click here to find a flu vaccination clinic near you.

Pediatric Flu Deaths Spike

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pediatric flu deaths hit a 15-year high last flu season.

During the 2024-2025 flu season, 287 children died across the country, including five between the ages of 0 and 4 in New Jersey, according to state health data. The last time pediatric flu deaths exceeded 287 was during the H1N1 pandemic during the 2009-2010 season, experts said.

Around half of the children who died nationwide had underlying health issues, and 89 percent of them were not fully vaccinated, the CDC reports.

One reason in particular that experts are concerned with pediatric flu cases is that children are far more susceptible to influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE), a severe neurologic complication of the flu.

IAE can result in seizures, coma, brain damage, and sometimes death, according to the CDC. Last flu season, 74 percent of IAE patients were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 19 percent died.

What To Do If You Have The Flu

Most people who contract the flu typically get over it within a week or two with no long-lasting effects. Typical symptoms include fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, fatigue, and vomiting or diarrhea (more common in children).

Some patients may consult with a doctor to get medications like Tamiflu, or will combat symptoms with over-the-counter medications like Tylenol.

However, it’s important to know when flu symptoms prompt emergency medical care, according to the CDC. See the list of warning signs that require emergency care:

In Children:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish lips or face
• Ribs pulling in with each breath
• Chest pain
• Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk)
• Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
• Not alert or interacting when awake
• Seizures
• Fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit that is not controlled by fever-reducing medicine
• In children younger than 12 weeks, any fever
• Fever or cough that improves but then returns or worsens
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

In Adults:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Persistent dizziness, confusion, and inability to arouse
• Seizures
• Not urinating
• Severe muscle pain
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness
• Fever or cough that improves but then returns or worsens
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions