New York’s flu season is off to a troubling start after the influenza virus all but disappeared last season amid COVID-19 restrictions, state data show.

The tally of flu cases this season was 1,585 after recent spikes in some counties, including outbreaks potentially linked to Halloween parties on college campuses, according to a health official and the most recent state data through Nov.

Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud addressed the rising flu threat on the central New York campus during a university senate meeting Wednesday, noting COVID-19 cases remained low at the college in Onondaga County.

The flu's return in New York came as federal health officials descended on the University of Michigan, aiming to help control a flu outbreak of 528 cases on the Ann Arbor campus, USA TODAY Network reported.

By contrast, the flu count totaled nearly 158,000 cases in 2019-2020, a record high and up from 108,000 the prior season, state data show.

Further, flu-related hospitalizations during those prior seasons topped 15,500 statewide, underscoring the potential fallout for New York hospitals if cases spike this season.

About 50% of adults in New York City received the flu shot, with disparities among racial and ethnic groups for adults 18 and older, the city health department reported.

Abigail Barker, a Health Department spokeswoman, noted the state agency collects and analyzes a range of information about flu activity statewide.

New York officials have also promoted vaccination against both influenza and COVID-19, Barker said in a statement, citing how Gov.

Outside New York City and Long Island, some of the counties with higher flu case counts so far this season included Onondaga (182), Westchester (87), Tompkins (74) and Monroe (35), state data show.

The flu case count for Saratoga County was 101, state data show, but local health officials said the number was inaccurate due to false positives and would soon be corrected.

By contrast, Syracuse University reported 82 COVID-19 cases on campus between Oct.

Despite New York City having comparatively lower COVID-19 infection rates than upstate counties, it accounted for its fair share of flu cases, at 436 so far.