What's Going Around in Chico?
Fast local read for Chico, powered by California surveillance plus city context lower on the page — August 2026
Fast answer
What matters first in Chico
For a quick "what illness, virus, or sickness is going around in Chico?" check, start with the weekly respiratory picture. COVID-19 is the strongest weekly respiratory signal at moderate for the week ending Aug 22, 2026 in California statewide surveillance. Public dashboards do not identify every ordinary cold or local cluster. Measles appears separately as approximate statewide case context, not a Chico case count or formal outbreak determination.
Strongest weekly respiratory signal
COVID-19
Moderate • 1.2 per 100K
Week ending Aug 22, 2026
→Stable — similar to 1.0 per 100K last week
Flu
Low, 1.8% ILI, similar to 1.6% last week
Week ending Aug 22, 2026
RSV
Low, 0.0 per 100K, similar to 0.0 per 100K last week
Week ending Aug 22, 2026
COVID-19
Moderate, 1.2 per 100K, similar to 1.0 per 100K last week
Week ending Aug 22, 2026
Measles (statewide)
28 cases in the current state tracker view
Approximate California tracker • report through Aug 21, 2026
Not a Chico case count or formal outbreak status.
Spread signal
California statewide surveillance
City context
CDC PLACES 2022
Best use
Fast local read before deeper charts
1.8% ILI
→ Stable — similar to 1.6% last week
0.0 per 100K
→ Stable — similar to 0.0 per 100K last week
1.2 per 100K
→ Stable — similar to 1.0 per 100K last week
↑ Growingin California, CDC Rt estimate as of Aug 25, 2026
28 cases in the current state tracker view
96.1% in California
Prevention context, not a weekly spread signal.
Practical Steps for This Signal
COVID is circulating — everyday precautions help
- •Stay up to date on COVID boosters, especially if you're over 65 or high-risk
- •If you are sick, stay home until symptoms are improving overall and you have been fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours; then use added precautions for 5 days
- •Test if you develop symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, body aches)
- •Wash hands frequently and improve indoor ventilation when possible
These general steps pair Local Health Signal's interpretation of the reported public-health signal with CDC prevention guidance. They are not a personal risk assessment or medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider about what's right for you and your family.
Useful questions
Questions that make the Chico page easier to use
These are the pages that explain fast reading, source scope, and page choice without making the main city answer any noisier.
City Page Guide
How Do I Read a City Health Page Fast?
A quick city-page guide for users who want the local answer without getting stuck on charts, source scope, or which link to open next.
Trust Question
Why Does My City Page Use State Data?
A trust page that explains the scope of city pages clearly and routes people into the best city, state, and travel surfaces.
City or State?
Should I Check the City or State Page First?
A practical page that helps you choose the right city, state, or travel page on the first try.
Source and context
Where this city page data comes from
Updated
Latest respiratory week: Aug 22, 2026; measles state report: Aug 21, 2026
Coverage
State-level disease surveillance plus slower city-level community context
Best For
Quick local infectious-disease orientation before deeper chart review
Use the top half of this page for the latest statewide signals relevant to Chico, not exact city case counts. Public dashboards do not identify every ordinary cold or local cluster. The lower community-context section is older CDC PLACES data about respiratory burden and access to care, included to explain possible impact rather than current spread.
Secondary context
Community context that can change impact
This does not tell you what is spreading this week. Because covid-19 is the strongest reported weekly respiratory signal, this context helps explain who could feel that respiratory wave harder in Chico. The measures below use CDC PLACES city estimates from 2022.
Respiratory burden
10.7%
Asthma
Higher asthma prevalence can mean more people feel respiratory surges harder.
Chronic lung disease
5.8%
COPD
COPD can raise the stakes when respiratory infections rise, especially for older adults.
Access to care
7.7%
Uninsured
Higher uninsured rates can make prevention, testing, and treatment harder to reach quickly.
Preventive care reach
71.4%
Annual Checkup
Routine checkups make vaccination, follow-up, and early care easier when illness is spreading.
See the full city context dataset14 more measures
Chronic Conditions
Mental Health
Health Behaviors
Prevention & Access
More Cities in California
Compare this snapshot with other major cities in California.
Frequently Asked Questions
What illnesses are going around in Chico, California right now?
COVID-19 is the strongest weekly respiratory signal at moderate for the week ending Aug 22, 2026 in California statewide surveillance. Public dashboards do not identify every ordinary cold or local cluster. Measles is shown separately as 28 cases in the current state tracker view in the approximate California tracker through Aug 21, 2026; that is not a Chico case count or formal outbreak status.
Is the flu bad in Chico right now?
Flu activity in California (which includes Chico) is currently low with 1.8% ILI. A current CDC Rt direction estimate is unavailable; use the weekly ILINet trend on the state flu page. See the California flu page for weekly trend charts.
Why does this page include city-level community context?
The lower community-context section does not show what is spreading this week. It uses CDC PLACES (2022 data) to show slower-moving local vulnerability and access-to-care patterns in Chico, such as asthma burden or uninsured adults, so the infection data has clearer local context.
Does Chico have its own health data, or is this state-level?
This page combines two types of public-health data. Flu, COVID-19, RSV, and measles use California statewide surveillance as context relevant to Chico; they are not exact Chico case counts. The lower community-context section adds slower Chico-specific CDC PLACES estimates about respiratory vulnerability and access to care. Public dashboards can miss ordinary colds and small local clusters, so use local health-department notices for confirmed local events.
Local Health Signal is not affiliated with the CDC or any government agency. Data is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended for clinical decision making. See our methods page for details on data sources and limitations.