What's Going Around in Portland?

Fast local read for Portland, powered by Oregon surveillance plus city context lower on the page — May 2026

Fast answer

What matters first in Portland

For a quick "what illness, virus, or sickness is going around in Portland?" check, start with rsv. It is moderate and down from 1.4 per 100k last week in the best public signal we have for the Portland 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

1.1 per 100K

Decreasing — down from 1.4 per 100K last week

Flu

Low, 0.0% ILI

RSV

Moderate, 1.1 per 100K, down from 1.4 per 100K last week

COVID-19

Low, 0.2 per 100K, similar to 0.3 per 100K last week

Measles

9 cases in 2026

Spread signal

Oregon statewide surveillance

City context

CDC PLACES 2022

Best use

Fast local read before deeper charts

Local tap water pilot

Water quality checks for Portland

Open the official water report, service-line notes, and renter checklist for Portland. This is separate from what is spreading this week, but it is useful local-health context when you are renting, traveling, or moving.

CDC Recommendations at This Level

Vaccination rates are below the safe threshold

  • Your state is below the 95% MMR coverage needed for herd immunity
  • This means your community is more vulnerable if measles is introduced
  • Verify your family's vaccination status and get caught up if needed
  • Talk to your pediatrician if you have questions about vaccine safety

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 Portland 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 Portland 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 Portland. The measures below use CDC PLACES city estimates from 2022.

CDC PLACES source →

Respiratory burden

11.9%

Asthma

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

Chronic lung disease

5.1%

COPD

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

Access to care

7.0%

Uninsured

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

Preventive care reach

70.5%

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

9.0%
Diabetes
28.2%
Obesity
7.1%
Cancer
5.0%
Heart Disease
2.7%
Stroke
27.5%
High BP
30.5%
High Cholesterol

Mental Health

30.1%
Depression
18.2%
Poor Mental Health

Health Behaviors

11.5%
Smoking
17.4%
Binge Drinking
17.0%
Inactive
28.2%
Sleep Deprived

Prevention & Access

66.3%
Dental Visit

More Cities in Oregon

Compare this snapshot with other major cities in Oregon.

All city pages →

Frequently Asked Questions

What illnesses are going around in Portland, Oregon right now?

Based on the best current public-health signal for the Portland area, flu activity in Oregon is low, RSV is moderate, COVID-19 is low, and Oregon has reported 9 measles cases in 2026. Click any topic above for the detailed page that matches the actual question.

Is the flu bad in Portland right now?

Flu activity in Oregon (which includes Portland) is currently low with 0.0% ILI. The trend is declining, which is good news. See the Oregon 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 Portland, such as asthma burden or uninsured adults, so the infection data has clearer local context.

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

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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.