Provider News

Viral Update: Illness and Volume Trends, and Helpful Resources for Our Community

March 4, 2026

Our goal is to share information and resources with our larger community as we all work together to care for patients facing viral illnesses.

Subscribe to Local Health Alerts

King County Public Health and the Snohomish County Health Department are dedicated to helping reduce the spread of preventable outbreaks of highly contagious diseases. To increase awareness of local viral activity, both organizations send timely health alert emails to those who subscribe.

How to subscribe to King County health alerts

Healthcare providers can request to be added to the King County distribution list by emailing the listserv with the subject, “Request to add to Info-X listserv” and include the following:

  • Your name and professional title (e.g., infection control professional, nurse administrator, physician, laboratorian, etc.)
  • Practice location and phone number
  • Practice type (e.g., primary care, obstetrics, pediatrics, infectious disease, etc.)

Note: This link opens your default email application on your computer. If you want to use a different email service, email this address with the subject, “Request to add to Info-X listserv”  and include the information listed above.

How to subscribe to Snohomish County health alerts

Healthcare providers can request to be added to the Snohomish distribution list by emailing the Snohomish County Health Department with the subject, “Request to be added to Health Advisories” and include your name, job title, affiliation and the best email address to receive advisories.

Viral Trends and Hospital Volumes

ED Volumes: ED volumes and surges remain high. We expect a volume increase over the next few weeks and are prepared for anticipated high volumes perhaps into mid-May.

Measles: The 2026 U.S. confirmed case count is 1,170. 2025 was the worst measles year since 1991 and 2026 continues to see increases in cases. Multiple outbreaks are ongoing, driven by lower vaccination rates.

Influenza: Influenza A activity varies nationally. Local cases have decreased over the past two weeks. This season remains dominated by influenza A (H3N2) Subclade K. Influenza B cases are starting to rise.

RSV: RSV positives are high but below peak.

SARS-CoV-2: Local wastewater and ED data show COVID-19 activity remains low.

Mpox: Confirmed cases on the African continent have declined significantly in the past two months. Mpox testing is available at Seattle Children’s – if you feel your patient may have Mpox and want them tested, please call Mission Control at 206-987-8899.   

Other Respiratory Viruses: Rhino/enterovirus remains the most common non-influenza/RSV positive. This channel represents multiple virus strains and does not include all enteroviruses. Seasonal coronaviruses are rising. These viruses usually contribute to our late winter/early spring respiratory season.

Mycoplasma: Mycoplasma activity remains low, with a <1% positivity rate last week.

Pertussis: There has been an increase in pertussis activity at both the state and national level over the course of the past two years. The national count this year is lower than at the same time last year. Locally, we continue to see 0 to 2 positives per week. Continue to encourage vaccination.

Norovirus and Rotavirus: Norovirus positivity is high but below peak. There has been a recent spike in Rotavirus activity.  

Special Pathogens Team Update

Seattle Children’s has a special pathogens team that is continuously monitoring worldwide outbreaks to keep our staff, patients and community providers informed.

The Marburg outbreak in Ethiopia has been declared over. Final numbers were 14 cases and 9 deaths.  South Sudan and Somaliland are reporting possible new Marburg outbreaks.

There is a new outbreak of Nipah virus disease in India. Current information is limited but we will continue to monitor. A little information about Nipah virus:

  • The virus: Nipah is a paramyxovirus that causes severe encephalitis and pneumonia.
  • Incubation period: Typically, 4 to 14 days.
  • The illness: Sometimes classified with viral hemorrhagic fevers due to its severe, systemic nature and potential for hemorrhage.
  • Transmission: Spread via fruit bats, pigs or human-to-human contact.
  • Fatality rate: Estimated between 40% and 75%.
  • Symptoms: Fever, headaches, vomiting, sore throat and rapidly progressing encephalitis.

If you are treating a patient with recent (within the last month) travel to areas in Africa affected by hemorrhagic fevers and suspect a related illness, please contact your local public health department immediately.

If you are referring an ill patient that needs urgent evaluation to Seattle Children’s, please call Mission Control at 206-987-8899 before sending the patient.

Measles Resources

How You Can Help

  • To help maintain ED volumes, consider reminding families of your clinic’s resources and procedures for urgent and after-hours patient needs to help direct them to the most appropriate site of care.
  • Encourage families to review our ED vs. Urgent Care guide to find the most appropriate care setting – we have options for in-person and virtual urgent care, orthopedic urgent care, and psychiatric urgent care.
  • Families should be prepared that, if viral testing is deemed clinically appropriate, it will typically be performed using a panel that identifies only influenza, RSV, and COVID-19.
  • Before sending your patient to the ED, contact our Mission Control team with as much notice as possible at 206-987-8899. This helps us plan for your patient’s arrival, especially if there are concerns for communicable diseases.

Additional Resources

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