What's Going Around in Fall River?

Fast local read for Fall River, powered by Massachusetts surveillance plus city context lower on the page — May 2026

Fast answer

What matters first in Fall River

For a quick "what illness, virus, or sickness is going around in Fall River?" check, start with rsv. It is moderate and down from 1.9 per 100k last week in the best public signal we have for the Fall River 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

2.3 per 100K

Decreasing — down from 1.9 per 100K last week

Flu

Low, 1.1% ILI, similar to 1.3% last week

RSV

Moderate, 2.3 per 100K, down from 1.9 per 100K last week

COVID-19

Moderate, 1.2 per 100K, down from 1.1 per 100K last week

Measles

2 reported cases this year

Spread signal

Massachusetts statewide surveillance

City context

CDC PLACES 2022

Best use

Fast local read before deeper charts

CDC Recommendations at This Level

RSV is circulating — protect infants and elderly

  • Wash hands thoroughly before touching babies or young children
  • Ask visitors to wash hands before holding your baby
  • Watch for signs in infants: rapid breathing, wheezing, difficulty feeding, flaring nostrils
  • If your child is breathing fast or struggling to breathe, seek medical care right away

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.

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Useful questions

Questions that make the Fall River page easier to use

These are the pages that explain scope, sharing, and page choice without making the main city answer any noisier.

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 Fall River 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.

Methods → Data sources → Refresh cadence: Weekly for infectious-disease feeds; annual for CDC PLACES context

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 Fall River. The measures below use CDC PLACES city estimates from 2022.

CDC PLACES source →

Respiratory burden

13.8%

Asthma

Higher asthma prevalence can mean more people feel respiratory surges harder.

Chronic lung disease

9.2%

COPD

COPD can raise the stakes when respiratory infections rise, especially for older adults.

Access to care

9.1%

Uninsured

Higher uninsured rates can make prevention, testing, and treatment harder to reach quickly.

Preventive care reach

79.4%

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

11.2%
Diabetes
35.2%
Obesity
7.2%
Cancer
6.9%
Heart Disease
3.7%
Stroke
32.6%
High BP
32.5%
High Cholesterol

Mental Health

26.4%
Depression
22.6%
Poor Mental Health

Health Behaviors

21.6%
Smoking
17.3%
Binge Drinking
30.4%
Inactive
38.1%
Sleep Deprived

Prevention & Access

58.7%
Dental Visit

More Cities in Massachusetts

Compare this snapshot with other major cities in Massachusetts.

All city pages →

Frequently Asked Questions

What illnesses are going around in Fall River, Massachusetts right now?

Based on the best current public-health signal for the Fall River area, flu activity in Massachusetts is low, RSV is moderate, COVID-19 is moderate, and measles is still a limited statewide signal in Massachusetts, with 2 cases reported in 2026. Click any topic above for the detailed page that matches the actual question.

Is the flu bad in Fall River right now?

Flu activity in Massachusetts (which includes Fall River) is currently low with 1.1% ILI. Activity appears stable. See the Massachusetts 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 Fall River, such as asthma burden or uninsured adults, so the infection data has clearer local context.

Does Fall River 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 Massachusetts state-level surveillance, which is the most reliable available indicator for the Fall River area right now. The lower community-context section adds slower Fall River-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 Fall River.

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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.