SocketIO Saves Session Data But Session Data Is Missing In Express Route Handler

[clarnx]

I'm trying to share session data between SocketIO and Express on a nodejs server. I researched online the came across how to implement it at https://socket.io/docs/v3/faq/#Usage-with-express-session

NOTE: FRONT-END AND BACK-END CODE AT BOTTOM

Anytime I visit the homepage at http://localhost:5000 the socket is successfully connected and session contains myData value that is set in socketio initial connection

SocketIO Console Output

Session {
  cookie: {
    path: '/',
    _expires: null,
    originalMaxAge: null,
    httpOnly: true,
    secure: true
  },
  myData: 'hello world'
}

However when a request is sent to http://localhost:5000/api/download the console output in the Express handler does not contain the myData value in the session.
This indicates that even though socketIO is saving session data, it is not sharing it with Express.

Express Handler Console Output

Session {
  cookie: {
    path: '/',
    _expires: null,
    originalMaxAge: null,
    httpOnly: true,
    secure: true
  }
}

I have searched all over the internet and I can't seem to figure it out. The socketIO documentation is not helpful either.
I also tried other solutions here on stackoverflow but none seems to work.

1. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25532692/how-to-share-sessions-with-socket-io-1-x-and-express-4-x
2. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33913758/express-session-isnt-setting-session-cookie-while-using-with-socket-io
3. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4641053/socket-io-and-session

This question is my last attempt to find help an solve the problem.

Thank You

MY CODE SET UP FOR BOTH FRONT-END AND BACK-END

FRONT-END:

const downloadBtn = document.getElementById("dl-btn");
const socket = io("http://localhost:5000");

socket.on("connected", () => {
  console.log("server connected");
});

downloadBtn.addEventListener("click", () => {
  window.location = "http://localhost:5000/api/download";
});

BACK-END:

import express from "express";
import session from "express-session";
import { createServer } from "http";
import { Server } from "socket.io";
import cors from "cors";
import bodyParser from "body-parser";
import asyncHandler from "express-async-handler";

const app = express();
const server = createServer(app);

const io = new Server(server, {
  cors: {
    origin: "http://localhost:3000",
    methods: ["GET", "POST"],
  },
});

const port = 5000;

const corsOptions = {
  origin: "http://localhost:3000",
  optionsSuccessStatus: 200,
};

const sessionMiddleware = session({
  secret: "keyboard cat",
  resave: false,
  saveUninitialized: true,
  cookie: { secure: true },
});

app.use(cors(corsOptions));
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));

app.use(sessionMiddleware);
io.use((socket, next) => {
  sessionMiddleware(socket.request, socket.request.res || {}, next);
});

app.get("/api/", (req, res) => {
  res.send("API is running");
});

app.get(
  "/api/download",
  asyncHandler(async (req, res) => {
    console.log(req.session);
    res.send("hello");
  })
);

io.on("connection", (socket) => {
  socket.emit("connected");
  console.log("client connected");
  const session = socket.request.session;
  session.myData = "hello world";
  session.save();

  console.log(session);
});

server.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`listening at http://localhost:${port}`);
});