RSV activity in China
Current respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity in China — based on WHO FluNet + ILI% surveillance, set against the parallel flu and COVID-19 trajectories.
Current situation: RSV
In week 15 of 2026, activity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in China is low. The trend — derived from clinical surveillance — is stable.
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. How severe a given season becomes depends on the circulating virus variant and the population's immune status, among other factors.
Data sources 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.
Frequently asked questions
When is RSV season in China?
RSV circulation in China largely follows the same north–south split as influenza. Northern China sees RSV peaks through the winter months. Southern China shows a more prolonged season with activity extending across autumn and winter. Paediatric hospital admissions for RSV bronchiolitis cluster during these windows, with the youngest cohorts most affected.
How is RSV monitored in China?
RSV surveillance runs through CNIC's sentinel network alongside influenza, using the same hospitals and laboratories. Weekly positivity indicators for RSV are included in national bulletins and transmitted to WHO FluNet, preserving the north–south split. This makes China one of the few contributors where regional RSV curves are visible directly at the international level.
Who is most at risk from RSV in China?
As elsewhere, the highest-risk groups in China are infants — especially those under six months and preterm babies — and older adults with chronic cardiopulmonary disease. RSV is a significant driver of paediatric hospital admissions during peak weeks. Preventive options for infants and adult RSV vaccines are increasingly available.
How does China's RSV pattern compare internationally?
Northern China's winter peak resembles the broader Northern-Hemisphere temperate pattern, while southern China's prolonged autumn-through-winter season aligns more closely with other subtropical regions in the Western Pacific. Because CNIC reports the two regions separately into WHO FluNet, both patterns can be compared directly with other countries.
How does RSV differ from flu in Chinese data?
CNIC reports flu and RSV as separate positivity streams within the same sentinel panel. RSV is dominated by paediatric presentations, particularly in the youngest children; flu activity spreads across age groups. Peak timing between the two viruses can differ by several weeks within the same region, so laboratory testing — not symptoms — is the reliable basis for telling them apart in the surveillance data.
Want the actual numbers?
You'll find them in the app.
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