April 9, 2026- Respiratory viruses are lingering this year for longer than usual, according to the The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of April 3, 2026, the amount of acute respiratory illness causing people to seek health care remains low, however, RSV activity started later than expected in most regions of the United States. The CDC said in an update that RSV illness this year is not more severe compared with recent seasons.
The later timing means higher levels of RSV activity may continue into April in many regions. Per the CDC, emergency department visits and hospitalizations for RSV are highest among infants and children less than 4 years old.
As states deal with a late RSV season, more are also detecting cases of the so-called “cicada” variant of COVID-19, with 25 now reporting the strain, according to The Hill. According to the CDC, COVID-19 activity remains low, but some aspects of this strain are of concern.
And as for the flu, seasonal influenza activity continues to decrease in most areas of the country. Influenza A activity is low across all regions while trends in influenza B activity vary by region.