Flu season 2026–27 has started: what the first numbers say

The numbers

CDC's weekly surveillance report for the week ending October 3, 2026 describes influenza activity as increasing in many parts of the country but still low. The 2026–27 season began October 4.

• 3.6% of clinical-lab specimens tested positive (1,435 of 39,317). 97% of the positives were influenza A.
• 1.8% of outpatient visits were for influenza-like illness, below the national baseline of 3.1%.
• 3,334 lab-confirmed flu hospital admissions were reported that week, 1.0 per 100,000 people. The rate was highest in adults 65 and older: 3.3 per 100,000.
• CDC counts 198 flu-associated deaths in children for the 2025–26 season, including 3 reported this week.

What it means for your workday

Our reading of the evidence

Low activity is the quiet part of the season, and it is the cheapest moment to prepare. Getting vaccinated now means doing it before flu is circulating widely, not in the middle of a sick-call week.

The age pattern matters at home as well as at work. Hospital admissions are highest in people 65 and older, so a worker who lives with or cares for an older relative has a stake in staying well too.

What to do now

• Get the flu vaccine. CDC recommends it for everyone 6 months and older and says it should ideally be offered before the end of October.
• If you get flu-like symptoms, call early. CDC says prescription antivirals can treat flu and should be started as early as possible, especially for people at higher risk of complications. Do not wait it out if you are in a higher-risk group.

How solid is this?

• This is surveillance data: it describes what has been reported, not what will happen next. One early-season week is a small base, and numbers are revised.
• National figures average out regional differences. Your area may be quieter or busier than the national picture.
• We report the percentages CDC publishes; we do not forecast the season's peak or severity.