Flu season in China
Current flu activity in China, based on WHO FluNet + ILI% surveillance, set against the parallel COVID-19 and RSV trajectories.
Influenza: Moderate
Moderate
Yes, moderately. Flu activity in China is currently moderate and holding steady (as of 23 Aug 2026).
Data window: Week 34 · Aug 17 – Aug 23 · Source: WHO FluNet (weekly) · Update overdue: source publishing late
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View the last 8 weeks
In week 34 of 2026, Influenza activity in China is classified as moderate.
Against week 33 the reported value is effectively unchanged (less than 5% difference).
Across the last 8 reported weeks the highest reading was week 29; the level was moderate in 7 of them.
The last 8 reported weeks
| Week | Relative | Level | vs prior week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 34 | 97 | Moderate | unchanged |
| Week 33 | 100 | Moderate | +6% |
| Week 32 | 95 | Moderate | unchanged |
| Week 31 | 97 | Moderate | unchanged |
| Week 30 | 98 | Moderate | unchanged |
| Week 29 | 100 | Moderate | +10% |
| Week 28 | 90 | Moderate | +13% |
| Week 27 | 80 | Low | – |
Relative means the highest of these weekly values is set to 100. Exact incidence rates are in the app.
Current activity
- InfluenzaModeratestableWeek 34Trend: stable · Week 34
- RSVLowstableWeek 34Trend: stable · Week 34
What this means
In week 34 of 2026, activity of influenza (seasonal flu) in China is moderate. The trend, derived from clinical surveillance, is stable. Activity has barely shifted over the past few weeks.
Data, context and methodology
The current picture for China is built on WHO FluNet, supplemented by the Chinese National Influenza Center's weekly ILI percentage. The China National Influenza Center reports sentinel laboratory results to FluNet every week and, uniquely among FluNet contributors, also publishes an ILI consultation percentage inside the dataset's comment field, which we use to produce an ECDC-style pathogen-specific signal when available.
WHO FluNet
FluNet is the WHO's weekly global influenza surveillance database. The China National Influenza Center submits the number of respiratory specimens tested and the number positive for influenza and, where available, RSV. This provides a consistent, internationally comparable baseline signal.
ILI percentage via LAB_RESULT_COMMENT
China embeds a weekly ILI consultation percentage inside FluNet's LAB_RESULT_COMMENT field. When this value is present we compute ILI × positivity / 100, the same methodology used for ECDC ERVISS countries, which gives a pathogen-specific weekly incidence signal. When ILI% is missing we fall back to the FluNet positivity-rate method (positivity × scaling factor, 80 for flu and 50 for RSV).
Why this source
FluNet is the only weekly, internationally harmonised dataset for China, and the embedded ILI% lets us apply ECDC-style methodology where possible for improved comparability. COVID-19 is not available via FluNet and is therefore not shown.
Qualitative classification
The “low”, “moderate” and “high” categories follow seasonal reference values and epidemiological thresholds calibrated to match our classifications for other countries. Whether the ECDC-style ILI × positivity / 100 product or the FluNet positivity × scaling-factor signal is used, both are mapped to the same consultation-equivalent scale so results stay comparable across regions. Data refreshes weekly when WHO publishes the latest FluNet update.
Source and seasonal pattern by pathogen
- Influenza
- The classification is based on WHO FluNet combined with influenza-like illness (ILI%) indicators from the Chinese National Influenza Center; China reports separately for its northern and southern provinces, and the classification uses an ILI × positivity composite. Seasonally, infection waves in China typically peak between December and February in the north, with a more prolonged, bimodal pattern in the south; activity is usually markedly lower during the summer months in the north, while activity in the south fluctuates year-round.
- COVID-19
- The classification is based on WHO FluNet combined with ILI% indicators from the Chinese National Influenza Center (north/south split reporting), used as a proxy for respiratory virus activity. Seasonally, infection waves in China typically peak during winter, with occasional summer waves driven by new variants; activity is usually markedly lower in late spring between waves.
- RSV
- The classification is based on WHO FluNet combined with ILI% indicators from the Chinese National Influenza Center (north/south split reporting), which carries RSV positivity indicators. Seasonally, infection waves in China typically peak between December and February in the north, with a more prolonged, bimodal pattern in the south; activity is usually markedly lower in spring and summer in the north, while activity in the south is more variable.
Frequently asked questions
When is flu season in China?
China's flu pattern is bimodal and spatially split. Northern China follows a typical temperate pattern with peaks from December through February. Southern China shows a more prolonged season, often running from autumn through winter, and sometimes produces a secondary summer peak driven by subtropical conditions. The two regions are tracked and reported separately in national surveillance.
Who runs flu surveillance in China?
The China National Influenza Center (CNIC), hosted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), coordinates influenza surveillance across roughly 550 sentinel hospitals and over 400 network laboratories. CNIC produces weekly influenza surveillance reports and transmits aggregated data to WHO FluNet, where China's northern and southern regions are represented as distinct signals.
How does China report into WHO FluNet?
CNIC transmits weekly sentinel indicators to WHO FluNet via the Western Pacific Regional Office. China is notable for reporting the north and south separately, which FluNet publishes as two distinct curves. China also uses FluNet's LAB_RESULT_COMMENT field to publish weekly ILI-percentage data for each region, an unusually detailed contribution within the FluNet schema.
Why are northern and southern China tracked separately?
Climate, latitude, and contact patterns differ sharply between northern and southern China, producing genuinely different influenza curves. The northern signal follows temperate seasonality with winter peaks. The southern signal is more complex, with prolonged activity and occasional summer peaks. Reporting them separately preserves signal clarity that would otherwise be lost in a single national average.
How is flu intensity classified in Chinese data?
CNIC classifies activity using ILI percentage against historical thresholds, reported separately for the north and south. Qualitative tiers (baseline, low, medium, high) are derived from those thresholds. Because the ILI% values are published through FluNet's LAB_RESULT_COMMENT field, the classification basis is unusually transparent compared with most FluNet contributors.
More situation reports
Data last refreshed: Sep 1, 2026, 10:49. Update cadence: weekly.
This page is not medical advice and does not replace consultation with a healthcare professional. For specific symptoms, please contact a medical professional.
About this page
Published by Renderei Martin GmbH, Berlin. No commercial interest in individual health recommendations. The app is optionally monetised via a freemium subscription.
Content is based exclusively on the linked official surveillance publications. Medical statements are curated against the guidance of RKI, ECDC and WHO.
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