RSV Activity in the US: Current Season Status (Spring 2026)

RSV Activity Is Low But Not Gone

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity across the United States has dropped to low levels as we move into spring 2026. However, hospitalizations continue in some regions, and RSV remains a leading cause of hospitalization for infants and young children.

What Is RSV and Who Is at Risk?

RSV is a common respiratory virus that causes cold-like symptoms in most healthy adults. However, it can be serious — even life-threatening — for:

Infants under 6 months old, who are too young for vaccination
Children born prematurely or with certain heart or lung conditions
Adults over 60, especially those with chronic health conditions
Immunocompromised individuals of any age

Current RSV Levels by State

RSV hospitalization rates vary by state. You can check your state’s current RSV activity on our RSV dashboard, which shows:

Current hospitalization rate per 100,000 residents
Week-over-week trend
Comparison to the national average
Nearby states’ activity levels

Most states are currently reporting low activity, which is typical for this time of year. RSV season in the US generally runs from fall through early spring.

RSV Vaccines and Immunizations: What’s Available

The 2025-2026 season saw expanded availability of RSV protection:

Abrysvo and Arexvy — RSV vaccines approved for adults 60 and older
Beyfortus (nirsevimab) — A monoclonal antibody for infants entering their first RSV season
Maternal RSV vaccine — Abrysvo is approved for pregnant individuals at 32-36 weeks gestation to provide passive immunity to newborns

If you’re a parent of a young child or an older adult, talk to your healthcare provider about RSV protection options.

How RSV Compares to Flu and COVID This Season

All three major respiratory viruses follow seasonal patterns, but they don’t always peak at the same time:

RSV typically peaks earliest (November-January)
Flu peaks mid-season (December-February)
COVID-19 has been less predictable, with peaks varying by variant

You can compare all three respiratory viruses for your state on our homepage or by visiting your state’s individual pages for flu, COVID-19, and RSV.

How We Track RSV Data

Local Health Signal tracks RSV using hospital admission data from the CDC’s HHS Protect system. This measures new RSV-related hospital admissions per 100,000 population each week. For more details, see our data sources page.

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