While overall respiratory illness levels have dropped since January’s peak, flu-related emergency visits among school-aged children are rising, RSV remains elevated in many states, and COVID-19 activity is ticking up.
The beginning of 2026 saw an active respiratory season – with the nation battling record cases of influenza virus among increases in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19.
Visits to a physician for flu-like symptoms – fevers, sore throat, extreme fatigue and body aches – hit the highest level in nearly 30 years in early January, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At least 19 million Americans had come down with the flu by late January – and 10,000, including 44 children, have died from the illness – during the 2025-26 flu season so far.
As of late January 2026, however, the amount of acute respiratory illness causing people to seek health care is now considered at a “low” level, according to the CDC.
While seasonal influenza activity has remained elevated across the country as of late January, rates had decreased for three consecutive weeks, according to newly released CDC data. Despite flu activity being on the decline overall, flu-related emergency department visits for school-aged children between ages five and 17 increased since the week of January 19-23, while hospitalizations remained stable, according to ABC News. Flu activity as of late January was increasing or stable in the Midwest, Central and West Coast regions.
Influenza A(H3N2) viruses are the most frequently reported influenza viruses so far this season, per the CDC. A new subclade of influenza A(H3N2) viruses, subclade K, emerged and is the predominant virus among influenza A(H3N2) viruses this year. The CDC reports that national vaccination coverage for influenza, as well as for COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, remains suboptimal for children and adults.
RSV activity is also elevated in many areas of the country, including emergency department visits among infants less than 1 year and children 1-4 years old and hospitalizations among infants less than 1 year old. RSV activity has been increasing in the Southeastern, Southern and Mid-Atlantic areas of the country – as of December 16, RSV infections are growing or likely growing in 32 states.
Additionally, COVID-19 activity is elevated in some areas of the country. COVID activity remains low at a national level, but activity is increasing as of late January, as indicated by the CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System.
The CDC continues to expect that the winter respiratory disease season in the United States will likely have a similar number of combined peak hospitalizations due to COVID-19, influenza and RSV compared to last season.