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Should I be worried about Respiratory season (influenza, COVID-19, RSV)?

Updated · Graded from official assessments; nothing here is medical advice.

Respiratory season (influenza, COVID-19, RSV) · Attention: high

If you are in the affected area low
UK Health Security Agency said on 8 October that flu was increasing but still at baseline levels, COVID-19 was increasing but still low, and RSV remained at baseline with very low circulation in the UK. According to UK Health Security Agency
If you are elsewhere in the same country or region low
In its 8 October update, UK Health Security Agency described flu activity as baseline, COVID-19 activity as low, and RSV circulation as baseline and very low. According to UK Health Security Agency
If you are travelling there soon no assessment
No agency has published an assessment for travellers for this seasonal respiratory watch. The most relevant official updates here are UKHSA's 8 October respiratory-season report and WHO's 28 May 2025 global COVID-19 update.
If you are elsewhere in the world high
WHO said on 28 May 2025 that the global public-health risk associated with COVID-19 remains high. According to WHO

What is happening

This is a worldwide seasonal watch for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV rather than a single local outbreak. The clearest recent official signal is from the UK, where UKHSA said on 8 October that influenza positivity had risen to 6.5% but remained at baseline levels, COVID-19 positivity had risen to 9.1% but remained low, and RSV stayed at baseline with very low circulation. WHO's latest global background documents available here are older: its 10 December 2025 influenza update said activity had increased globally within expected seasonal ranges, and its 28 May 2025 COVID-19 update said SARS-CoV-2 activity had increased again in several WHO regions and that the global public-health risk remained high. The only figures attached to this update are media reports of 2 confirmed cases, 14 suspected cases, and 800000 hospitalised, all unverified and not presented by officials as global totals. Officials are continuing seasonal vaccination campaigns, weekly respiratory-virus surveillance, laboratory testing, sequencing, and public advice for eligible groups to get vaccinated.

Who is affected and how it spreads

In this seasonal watch, flu is an acute infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by influenza viruses that circulate globally and often rise in colder months. It spreads through respiratory droplets and aerosols released when infected people breathe, talk, cough, or sneeze, and close contact helps spread it. Most people recover within about a week, but older adults, very young children, pregnant people, and people with some long-term health conditions face a higher risk of severe illness. Influenza viruses also change over time, so last season's infection or vaccine does not give perfect protection this season.

What we are watching

Updates

Sources