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.
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
Get one free alert when the wave turns in China
We write exactly once: the moment the level goes up. No account, no newsletter. We store your address and the country, nothing else. Every mail has a one click unsubscribe. Privacy
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 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in China is low. The trend, derived from clinical surveillance, is stable.
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 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.
More situation reports
Data last refreshed: Sep 1, 2026, 09:13. 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.
Methodology enquiries: press@infectrisk.com