Respiratory Virus Data

The respiratory virus data tool consists of surveillance dashboards and summary reports.

Respiratory virus data are updated weekly on Thursdays.

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Key trends

January 8, 2026

Respiratory virus activity in BC

Reporting period:  December 21, 2025 – January 3, 2026 (Epi-weeks 52-53)​​ - O​pen the week​l​y summary as a PDF

Current respiratory activity is measured in consideration of recent past respiratory seasons.​

Influenza activity is high; RSV is moderate; COVID-19 is low.​

Influenza

  • Influenza test positivity continues to increase in adults and remains high in all age groups. Wastewater viral loads are increasing at varying levels in most sites.

RSV 

  • RSV test positivity is increasing in all age groups and is at moderate levels. Wastewater viral loads are increasing or remain stable at low-to-moderate levels.

COVID-19

  • SARS-CoV-2 test positivity is stable at low levels. Wastewater viral loads are decreasing or remain stable at low-to-moderate levels in most sites. Severe outcomes remain low. 

Health care visits

  • The proportions of emergency department and primary care visits for respiratory illness have been elevated in recent weeks, particularly among children. Trends are comparable to prior seasons.

National and international context

Influenza

  • In Canada, the percentage of tests positive for influenza increased to 32.4% in week 51 (week ending December 20, 2025), from 28% in week 50. The weekly increase was smaller compared to previous weeks. In the syndromic surveillance indicator, the percentage of participants reporting cough and fever increased to 4.8% (from 4.1% in week 50). This also reflected a smaller increase compared to previous weeks.  
  • In the USA, seasonal influenza activity is elevated and continues to increase across the country. 
  • In the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), influenza circulation continues to increase in almost all countries. All age groups are affected and increases in hospitalisation are observed in many countries, primarily in adults aged 65 years and above.​

RSV

  • In Canada, the percentage of tests positive for RSV was stable in week 51 (week ending December 20, 2025).
  • In the USA, RSV activity is elevated in many areas of the country with emergency department visits and hospitalizations increasing among children 0-4 years old.​
  • In the EU/EEA, RSV circulation is increasing slowly and remains at relatively low levels, below what was observed at this time in the past four seasons. Hospital data show rising RSV-related admissions in a few countries, primarily among children under five years.​

COVID-19

  • In Canada, the percentage of tests positive for COVID-19 was stable in week 51 (week ending December 20, 2025).  
  • In the USA, COVID-19 activity is low but increasing nationally. 
  • In the EU/EEA, SARS-CoV-2 circulation continues to decrease in all age groups, and the impact on hospitalisations is currently limited. ​

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Dashboards

The respiratory virus dashboards display data for circulating viruses including influenza, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), enteroviruses/rhinoviruses, and others.
Reports

2025/26 Respiratory Epidemiological Summaries and Special Reports

​Respiratory virus activity summary

Past season: 2024/25 Epidemiological Summaries and Special Reports
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​Respiratory virus activity in BC: Weekly Summary

Past season: 2023/24 Epidemiological Summaries and Special Reports

​COVID-19 Situation Report

  • COVID-19 Situation Report Archive - This report is an archive of the data previously included in the COVID-19 Situation Report dashboard, from January 1, 2020, to August 31, 2024.

Respiratory Epidemiological Summaries

Respiratory season surveillance reports summarize key insights for circulating viruses including influenza, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), enteroviruses/rhinoviruses (ERV), and others.​​

Special Reports

Historical reports
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  • ​​2022/23 Respiratory Season Surveillance Report
    • ​The respiratory season report summarizes key insights from 28 August 2022 through to 22 April 2023. Following two years of relatively low non-COVID-19 respiratory illness activity in 2020/21 and 2021/22, the 2022/23 season is characterized by the return to seasonal respiratory virus co-circulation patterns, albeit with some atypical features.
  • Archived B.C. COVID-1​9 Data​

Technical Documents & Resources

​About the Respiratory Diseases data platform

The Respiratory Diseases data platform combines surveillance for COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory pathogens in one platform to monitor trends throughout the respiratory season. The platform is made up of a series of interactive online data pages.

The last respiratory data update of the season was published on May 4, 2023. Updates on influenza and other respiratory pathogens will resume in the fall.

COVID-19 updates will continue monthly throughout the spring and summer.

Changes to COVID-19 data system: May 4, 2023

The British Columbia (BC) COVID-19 surveillance system was updated on May 4, 2023 to use infection episodes of COVID-19 to capture multiple COVID-19 infections in the same person. The update to the system will also capture all hospital and critical care admissions and deaths in a person with a positive lab test. This is a shift from using a system of using first positive lab result for surveillance.

For detailed information about the update to the surveillance system and impact of the changes, read the technical document: BC COVID-19 Surveillance System Update: Infection episode-based approach​

National data 

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