Flu cases statewide are down 96 percent this year | The Daily Gazette SECTIONS Shares0 ALBANY — Flu cases statewide are down over 96 percent this season from the total flu cases recorded through this week last year. Local health officials suspect current coronavirus precautions have contributed to the massive downward trend. To date, the state Department of Health has recorded 3,548 total cases of the flu since the season kicked off in the first week of October. At this time last year, the state had recorded 106,816 flu cases from the beginning of the season in the first week of October through the same week in February.