Flu Season 2025-2026: Has It Peaked? State-by-State Update

Where Does Flu Season Stand Right Now?

The 2025-2026 flu season appears to be past its national peak, with influenza-like illness (ILI) rates declining in most states over the past several weeks. However, activity remains moderate in many areas, and some states are still seeing elevated levels.

Here’s what the latest CDC data shows and what you can expect going forward.

National Flu Activity: The Big Picture

As of the most recent reporting week, the national ILI rate stands at 3.3% of outpatient visits — classified as moderate activity. This is down from the seasonal peak earlier this winter.

You can track the full national trend on our flu activity dashboard.

Which States Still Have High Flu Activity?

While the national picture is improving, flu activity varies significantly by state. Some states in the South and West are still reporting elevated ILI rates, while much of the Northeast has already returned to baseline levels.

Check your state’s current flu status on our state-by-state map. Each state page shows:

• Current activity level (low, moderate, high, or very high)
• Week-over-week trend
• Comparison to the national average
• Nearby states’ activity levels

When Will Flu Season End?

Historically, flu season in the United States runs from October through May, with activity typically peaking between December and February. In the 2025-2026 season, the peak appears to have occurred in late January to early February for most states.

However, flu activity can persist at meaningful levels well into April, particularly in certain regions. The CDC continues to recommend that unvaccinated individuals get the flu shot, as it remains effective at reducing the risk of severe illness even late in the season.

Flu vs. COVID vs. RSV: How Do They Compare Right Now?

This is the first season where all three major respiratory viruses are being tracked simultaneously on Local Health Signal:

• Flu: Moderate nationally, declining in most states
• RSV: Low nationally, typical for this time of year
• COVID-19: Moderate nationally, with some regional variation

You can compare all three on our homepage or check your state’s specific data for each.

How We Track Flu Activity

Our flu data comes from the CDC’s ILINet surveillance network, which tracks the percentage of outpatient visits where patients present with influenza-like illness (fever plus cough or sore throat). We access this data through the Delphi Epidata API and update every Friday.

Learn more about our methodology on our methods page or explore the data source documentation.

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Updated weekly with the latest CDC FluView data. Last update: March 25, 2026.