RSV activity in Sweden
Current respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity in Sweden, based on ECDC ERVISS weekly data, set against the parallel flu and COVID-19 trajectories.
Influenza: Low
Low
The source currently reports no meaningful activity (as of 16 Aug 2026).
Data window: Week 33 · Aug 10 – Aug 16 · Source: ECDC (weekly) · Source on seasonal break, next data from week 40
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View the last 8 weeks
In week 33 of 2026, Influenza activity in Sweden is classified as low.
The source reports no meaningful activity across these weeks; a week-over-week percentage would be pure noise here.
The last 8 reported weeks
| Week | Relative | Level | vs prior week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 33 | – | Low | – |
| Week 32 | – | Low | – |
| Week 31 | – | Low | – |
| Week 30 | – | Low | – |
| Week 29 | – | Low | – |
| Week 28 | – | Low | – |
| Week 27 | – | Low | – |
| Week 26 | – | Low | – |
Across these weeks the source reports no meaningful activity, the values sit at the floor of its scale.
Current activity
- InfluenzaLowstableWeek 33Trend: stable · Week 33
- COVID-19LowstableWeek 33Trend: stable · Week 33
- RSVLowstableWeek 33Trend: stable · Week 33
What this means
In week 33 of 2026, activity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Sweden is low. The trend, derived from clinical surveillance, is stable.
Data, context and methodology
The current picture for Sweden is built on the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS), published weekly by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Folkhälsomyndigheten is the national public-health authority that feeds ERVISS with sentinel primary care and virology data. Sweden does not always report ILI consultation rates to ERVISS; when national ILI is missing we fall back to the EU median so the signal remains comparable.
ECDC ERVISS
ERVISS is ECDC's weekly pan-European surveillance summary for influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV. National authorities, in Sweden's case Folkhälsomyndigheten, submit harmonised indicators every week, which ECDC publishes in a standardised dataset on Thursdays. Using ERVISS rather than each country's native portal ensures cross-country comparability.
ILI / ARI consultation rates and positivity
Folkhälsomyndigheten operates a sentinel network of general practices that report weekly rates of patients consulting for influenza-like illness (ILI) or acute respiratory infection (ARI). A subset of patients is swabbed and tested by reference laboratories, producing pathogen-specific positivity rates for flu, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.
Why this source
Combining consultation incidence with virological positivity yields a pathogen-specific weekly incidence signal (ILI × positivity / 100). This is the standard European methodology and provides a more robust view than either indicator alone: consultation rates capture illness burden, positivity confirms which pathogen is driving it.
Qualitative classification
The “low”, “moderate” and “high” categories follow seasonal reference values and epidemiological thresholds calibrated to match our classifications for other countries. The ILI × positivity / 100 product is scaled to comparable thresholds using a divisor of 3, which aligns European sentinel peaks with the consultation-equivalent scale used elsewhere. Data refreshes weekly when ECDC publishes the latest ERVISS update, typically on Thursdays.
Source and seasonal pattern by pathogen
- Influenza
- The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on sentinel and virological data from the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten); where national indicators are stale, the EU median is used as a fallback. Seasonally, infection waves in Sweden typically peak between January and March; activity is usually markedly lower during the summer months.
- COVID-19
- The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on COVID-19 indicators from the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten); where national indicators are stale, the EU median is used as a fallback. Seasonally, infection waves in Sweden 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 the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on RSV indicators from the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten); where national indicators are stale, the EU median is used as a fallback. Seasonally, infection waves in Sweden typically peak between December and February; activity is usually markedly lower in spring and summer.
Frequently asked questions
When is RSV season in Sweden?
Sweden's RSV season typically runs from late autumn through early spring, with peaks most often between January and March. The season's intensity and exact timing vary year to year, and post-pandemic seasons have been less predictable than pre-2020 ones. Folkhälsomyndigheten publishes weekly RSV updates alongside flu and SARS-CoV-2.
How is RSV tracked in Sweden?
RSV surveillance in Sweden relies on mandatory laboratory reporting via the Svebar network, supplemented by sentinel physician reports and regional hospital data. Folkhälsomyndigheten publishes weekly RSV activity tiers and contributes the data to ECDC's ERVISS, which places Sweden's RSV trajectory next to the rest of the EU/EEA.
Who is most at risk from RSV in Sweden?
The groups most affected are infants under six months, preterm babies, and adults aged 60 and older, particularly those with underlying heart or lung disease. In these groups RSV can cause severe bronchiolitis or pneumonia. Swedish clinical practice has adopted both infant prophylactic antibodies and adult RSV vaccination for qualifying risk groups, consistent with broader European guidance.
How does Sweden compare to other European countries?
Because Sweden reports into ERVISS with the same tiering as the rest of the EU/EEA, its RSV curve can be compared directly with neighbours. Nordic RSV peaks often cluster within a few weeks of each other, slightly later than central European peaks. This makes ECDC's side-by-side dashboard useful for anticipating paediatric pressure across borders.
How does RSV differ from flu in Swedish data?
In Swedish surveillance, flu and RSV appear as separate positivity streams within the same respiratory panel. RSV disproportionately hits infants and the very elderly, while flu burden spreads across age bands. Symptom overlap between the two viruses is wide, so the distinction is drawn from laboratory testing rather than clinical impression.
More situation reports
Data last refreshed: Sep 1, 2026, 10:26. 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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