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

Weekly summary – March 26, 2026

Respiratory virus activity in BC

Reporting period:  March 15-21, 2026 (Epi-week 11)​ - O​p​e​n t​​he​ ​week​l​y summary as a PDF​​

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

RSV and influenza B activity are elevated; influenza A and COVID-19 are low.

Influenza

  • Influenza A test positivity is low. Influenza B test positivity continues to increase and is elevated. Wastewater levels are low for influenza A across the province. Influenza B levels in wastewater continue to increase and are high in some sites.

RSV 

  • RSV test positivity has decreased over recent weeks but remains elevated. Wastewater levels are stable and are at low-to-moderate levels in most sites.

COVID-19

  • SARS-CoV-2 test positivity remains stable and low. Wastewater levels are stable or decreasing and are at low-to-moderate levels. Severe outcomes remain low.

Health care visits

  • The proportions of emergency department and primary care visits for respiratory illness remain at moderate levels.​

National and international context

Influenza

  • In Canada, indicators of influenza activity were either stable or decreasing in the most recent reporting week. Influenza B activity continued to gradually increase while influenza A gradually decreased. However, trends vary by region. The majority of influenza B laboratory detections have occurred in individuals aged 5-19 and 20-44 years. The lowest rate of weekly hospitalizations was reported in individuals aged 5-19 and 20-44 years.  
  • ​​In the USA, seasonal influenza activity remains elevated but is decreasing in most areas of the country. Influenza A activity continues to decrease while trends in influenza B activity vary by region. 
  • In the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), influenza circulation continues to decrease across all age groups. Hospitalisations are also decreasing, with adults aged 65 years and above accounting for most admissions. ​

RSV

  • In Canada, indicators of RSV activity were either stable or decreasing in the most recent reporting week.
  • In the USA, RSV activity started later than expected in most regions, though illness is not more severe compared with recent seasons. This unusual timing means that higher levels of RSV activity may continue into April in many regions. Emergency department visits and hospitalisations for RSV are highest among infants and children less than 4 years old.
  • In the EU/EEA, RSV activity and hospitalisations remain elevated, with children under five years accounting for most admissions.​

COVID-19

  • In Canada, indicators of COVID-19 activity were either stable or decreasing in the most recent reporting week. Indicators are at or near the lowest levels recorded this season.  
  • In the USA, COVID-19 activity is decreasing in most areas of the country. 
  • In the EU/EEA, SARS-CoV-2 circulation remains low in all age groups, with few hospitalisations​
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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