Flu Spreads through Pennsylvania, U.S.

January 06, 2026

Respiratory virus activity remains at very high levels in Pennsylvania and emergency rooms around the nation.

Per the state’s updated dashboard, emergency department visits with a flu diagnosis are very high, while RSV and COVID-19 are increasing rapidly. This matches the viral reports at the national level, which indicate respiratory illnesses are in strong circulation.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Flu:  Week-over-week, flu cases have stabilized from 14,029 to 13,928 in Pennsylvania. Over 50,000 lab-confirmed flu cases have been reported this season through Saturday.
  • About 16.85 percent of emergency department visits were for respiratory symptoms, including 6.22 percent for the flu.
  • For the week ending December 27, there were 1,840 new adult hospital admissions and 1,234 pediatric admissions.
• National picture:  About 8.2 percent of U.S. health care visits were for respiratory illnesses and 32.9 percent of labs were positive for flu.
• RSV:  RSV emergency cases are low, but activity is increasing rapidly, with 6,050 lab-confirmed cases through Saturday.
• COVID-19:  COVID-19 emergency department visits are at a moderate level, but activity is increasing rapidly. There were 614 new adult hospital admissions and 43 new pediatric hospital admissions through December 27.
• What to know:  The new flu A variant known as Subclade K continues to pose challenges this year due to its mutations away from the components included in this year’s flu shot. It remains to be seen if the season will continue to intensify or if we are approaching the peak.

HAP encourages everyone to take proper precautions against respiratory viruses this winter, including getting vaccinated, staying home when sick, and using proper coughing and sneezing etiquette. See additional data at the state and federal levels about the elevated respiratory virus activity.