The deadly flu outbreak around the country is hitting New York hard, and now Senator Charles Schumer is calling on federal health officials to do something about it.
In a press conference Sunday, he detailed just how many New Yorkers the flu has sickened.
His office now says more than 5,200 people have been hospitalized statewide because of the potentially-deadly virus.
Sen. Schumer made a formal request to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sunday, saying, "I'm asking the CDC to immediately designate a special domestic flu surveillance team for New York to hone in on the virus, see which strains are affecting which people and augment the great work of our local hospitals and health departments."
He hopes CDC surveillance will help the state "break its fever" of flu cases more quickly.
The number of flu cases in New York jumped by about 54% in just the last week alone, according to Sen. Schumer's office.
