What's Going Around in Des Moines?
Fast local read for Des Moines, powered by Iowa surveillance plus city context lower on the page — May 2026
Fast answer
What matters first in Des Moines
For a quick "what illness, virus, or sickness is going around in Des Moines?" check, start with rsv. It is moderate and down from 3.8 per 100k last week in the best public signal we have for the Des Moines area. This page gives the broad local read first, then lets you open the direct local answer pages that matter most.
Strongest current signal
RSV
2.6 per 100K
↓ Decreasing — down from 3.8 per 100K last week
Flu
Low, 0.4% ILI, similar to 0.5% last week
RSV
Moderate, 2.6 per 100K, down from 3.8 per 100K last week
COVID-19
Moderate, 1.3 per 100K, down from 2.1 per 100K last week
Measles
No reported cases this year
Spread signal
Iowa statewide surveillance
City context
CDC PLACES 2022
Best use
Fast local read before deeper charts
0.4% ILI
→ Stable — similar to 0.5% last week
↓ Declining in Iowa
2.6 per 100K
↓ Decreasing — down from 3.8 per 100K last week
↓ Declining in Iowa
1.3 per 100K
↓ Decreasing — down from 2.1 per 100K last week
↓ Declining in Iowa
No reported cases this year
88.8% in Iowa
Prevention context, not a weekly spread signal.
CDC Recommendations at This Level
Vaccination rates are critically low
- • Your state's MMR coverage is well below the herd immunity threshold
- • Outbreaks can happen when coverage drops this low — check the measles tracker for your state
- • Talk to your doctor about catching up on vaccinations if not up to date
- • Consider talking to your school or daycare about their vaccination policies
This is general public health guidance based on CDC recommendations — not personal medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider about what's right for you and your family.
Useful questions
Questions that make the Des Moines page easier to use
These are the pages that explain scope, sharing, and page choice without making the main city answer any noisier.
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.
Sharing Question
What Page Should I Send Someone Who Asks What’s Going Around?
A utility page for sharing the right LHS link the first time instead of sending a random dashboard or article.
Routing Question
Should I Check the City or State Page First?
A product-utility page that reduces search friction and helps users choose the right level of page on the first try.
Source and context
Where this city page data comes from
Updated
May 29, 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 what is spreading now in the Des Moines area. 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 rsv is the main infectious signal right now, this context helps explain who could feel a respiratory wave harder in Des Moines. The measures below use CDC PLACES city estimates from 2022.
Respiratory burden
10.3%
Asthma
Higher asthma prevalence can mean more people feel respiratory surges harder.
Chronic lung disease
6.9%
COPD
COPD can raise the stakes when respiratory infections rise, especially for older adults.
Access to care
10.7%
Uninsured
Higher uninsured rates can make prevention, testing, and treatment harder to reach quickly.
Preventive care reach
74.5%
Annual Checkup
Routine checkups make vaccination, follow-up, and early care easier when illness is spreading.
See the full city context dataset 14 more measures
Chronic Conditions
Mental Health
Health Behaviors
Prevention & Access
More Cities in Iowa
Compare this snapshot with other major cities in Iowa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What illnesses are going around in Des Moines, Iowa right now?
Based on the best current public-health signal for the Des Moines area, flu activity in Iowa is low, RSV is moderate, COVID-19 is moderate, and measles is not a current statewide signal in Iowa. Click any topic above for the detailed page that matches the actual question.
Is the flu bad in Des Moines right now?
Flu activity in Iowa (which includes Des Moines) is currently low with 0.4% ILI. The trend is declining, which is good news. See the Iowa 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 Des Moines, such as asthma burden or uninsured adults, so the infection data has clearer local context.
Does Des Moines have its own health data, or is this state-level?
This page combines two types of public-health data. The infectious disease section (flu, COVID, RSV, measles) shows Iowa state-level surveillance, which is the most reliable available indicator for the Des Moines area right now. The lower community-context section adds slower Des Moines-specific CDC PLACES estimates about respiratory vulnerability and access to care. State infectious disease data reflects overall trends that apply to communities within the state, including Des Moines.
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.