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2025–26 Cold & Flu Update

February 11, 2026 — Influenza remains elevated. Possible second wave from rising influenza B. RSV and Norovirus activity is high.

  • Influenza activity remains elevated nationally with most areas reporting stable or decreasing trends. Pattern consistent with second wave driven by Influenza B. Illness severity continues to improve. This season’s flu vaccine demonstrates low-to-mid range efficacy against severe illness.
  • Norovirus activity is high across the country (as expected this time of year). The Northeast is faring the worst.
  • RSV activity remains elevated across the country. Test positivity at its highest this season. ED visits and hospitalization high among infants and young children.
  • COVID activity unchanged from last week: Elevated in some areas of the country.
  • Frequent cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces can help to limit the spread of respiratory viruses and norovirus.
A color chart showing that nationally, respiratory illness is moderate

Source: CDC Respiratory Illness Data Channel

A map of the United States showing levels of influenza during the week of January 31, 2026

Map source: CDC Flu View

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About the Author

Profile image of Doe Kley, RN, MPH, CIC, LTC-CIP, T-CHEST
Infection Prevention Fellow, Clorox Healthcare
Doe Kley is the Infection Prevention Fellow within Clorox Healthcare’s Clinical and Scientific Affairs team and is passionate about identifying problems and finding solutions to the many challenges faced in infection prevention. She develops tools and solutions based on her nearly 20 years of clinical expertise.  Much of her expertise in acute care infection prevention comes from working in large healthcare systems including Intermountain Healthcare and Kaiser Permanente. Doe is a registered nurse and received her Master of Public Health from the University of Nevada, Reno, as well as a Bachelor of Microbiology from Weber State University. She taught an infection control course for the Ohio State University (OSU) from 2019 to 2022 and is also dual board certified in infection prevention and epidemiology in both acute and long-term care. Additionally, Doe is certified to train EVS through the Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) and is currently a member of AHE, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology (APIC), the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Doe is active on several committees including the Test Committee for the Certification Board of Infection Control & Epidemiology (CBIC) and the Advisory Council for the Pearce Foundation Environmental Services Optimization Playbook (EvSOP). She also served on the Board of Directors for the California APIC Coordinating Council (CACC) in 2022.

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References

  1. CDC. Respiratory Illness Data Channel, Jan 30, 2026 [Internet]. [cited 2026 Jan 30]. Available from CDC.
  2. Rivers, C. Force of Infection: Outbreak Outlook, 2/8/2026. [cited 2026 Feb 09]. Available with subscription.
  3. CDC. FluView. Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates, Jan 30, 2026 [Internet]. [cited 2026 Jan 30]. Available from CDC.
  4. BlueDot. ILI Pulse, Issue 74; Feb 4, 2026. [cited 2026 Feb 4]. Available with subscription.
  5. CDC. Respiratory Virus Activity Levels, Jan 30, 2026 [Internet]. [cited 2026 Jan 30]. Available from CDC.
  6. CDC. NREVSS Dashboard, Feb 6, 2026 [Internet]. [cited 2026 Feb 06]. Available from CDC.
  7. CIDRAP. Estimated effectiveness of this season’s flu vaccine against medically attended illness in low to-mid-range, 2/6/2026 [Internet]. [cited 2026 Feb 09]. Available from CIDRAP.