Public Health Info: Respiratory Illness Surveillance Report for week ending January 3, 2026

Published:
January 9, 2026

What You Need To Know

Please find this week’s Respiratory Illness Surveillance Report which summarizes surveillance information for COVID-19, influenza, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses.

Report highlights:

  • Influenza activity continues to be elevated in NJ. Although the number of cases, emergency department visits, outpatient visits and test positivity reported last week are slightly lower than the previous week this season, wastewater activity levels continue to rise. Emergency department visits that resulted in admissions also continue to rise, predominantly in persons 65 years and older.
  • Influenza A(H3N2) remains the predominant subtyped influenza virus so far this season, and has been associated with increased severity in past seasons. A majority of A(H3N2) viruses tested at CDC belong to an emerging subclade K, however the impact of this drift on the current season is unclear.
  • The number of emergency department visits due to RSV resulting in hospital admissions increased this week, predominantly in persons 50 years of age and older. Test positivity remains elevated this week, but is lower than this time last year.
  • COVID-19 activity remains low, but emergency department visits and hospital admissions have been increasing since early December. Hospital admissions are greater than they were this time last year and continue to be predominantly in persons 65 years and older. The predominant variant continues to be Omicron XFG.
  • Respiratory outbreaks reported in long-term care facilities over the last week were primarily due to influenza and COVID-19 while those in schools continue to be predominantly due to influenza.
  • Test positivity for seasonal coronaviruses has been increasing since the beginning of December. Rhinovirus and enterovirus test positivity, which peaked in September, continues to decline. 

Please contact the Communicable Disease Service at 609-826-5964 with questions. This report is posted at https://www.nj.gov/health/respiratory-viruses/data-and-reports/.
For additional information, visit the NJDOH CDS Respiratory Illness Dashboard and the NJDOH CDS Vaccination Coverage in NJ LTC Facilities Dashboard.