Yes, several illnesses are circulating across the United States right now. As of late February 2026, seasonal flu remains elevated nationally, COVID-19 continues to spread with newer variants, RSV is sending people to the hospital, and norovirus is in the middle of its peak season. If you or someone around you is feeling sick, one of these is the most likely culprit.
Flu Is Still Elevated but Shifting
Influenza activity remains elevated across the country as of the week ending February 21, 2026. The national test positivity rate sits at 17.9%, meaning roughly one in five people tested for flu are coming back positive. The composition of what’s circulating is changing, though: influenza A, which dominated earlier in the season, is now decreasing while influenza B is picking up nationally and in most regions.
Several states are reporting “very high” flu activity, with hotspots scattered across the country. Other states range from high to moderate, and only a handful are at low or minimal levels. Flu B tends to hit later in the season and can cause the same fever, body aches, cough, and fatigue you’d expect from any flu strain. If you’ve been vaccinated, you still have some protection against severe illness, but breakthrough infections are common with flu B in particular.
COVID-19 Variants Circulating Now
COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared. The CDC’s most recent variant estimates, covering the four-week period ending February 14, 2026, show that a variant called XFG makes up about 29% of cases nationally. Two other lineages, NB.1.8.1 at 21% and XFG.2.5.1 at 16%, round out the top three. No single variant is overwhelmingly dominant right now, which means the virus is diversifying rather than consolidating around one strain.
Symptoms of current COVID variants overlap heavily with other respiratory viruses: fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, fatigue, and body aches. Loss of taste or smell still appears on the CDC’s symptom list but is less commonly reported with newer variants than it was earlier in the pandemic. Some people also experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The only reliable way to distinguish COVID from the flu or a bad cold is testing.
RSV Hospitalizations This Season
Respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, is another respiratory illness making the rounds. The overall hospitalization rate for RSV-associated illness this season is 24.6 per 100,000 people, based on CDC surveillance data updated February 26, 2026. RSV hits hardest at the extremes of age: infants, young children, and adults over 65 are the most likely to end up in the hospital. For most healthy adults, RSV feels like a lingering cold with a lot of congestion and coughing, but it can progress to more serious lower respiratory infections in vulnerable groups.
Norovirus Is in Peak Season
If your symptoms are more stomach than chest, norovirus is a strong possibility. Norovirus season runs from December through March, and late February falls right in the middle of that peak window. This virus spreads incredibly easily through contaminated food, surfaces, and close contact with someone who’s infected. Symptoms come on fast: sudden vomiting, watery diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps, often within 12 to 48 hours of exposure.
Norovirus is not a respiratory illness, so it won’t cause cough or congestion. Most people recover within one to three days without treatment, but dehydration is the main risk, especially for young children and older adults. Handwashing with soap and water is more effective against norovirus than hand sanitizer, since the virus lacks the outer coating that alcohol-based sanitizers target.
Walking Pneumonia Is Still Around
Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the bacterium behind most cases of “walking pneumonia,” surged through 2024 after re-emerging globally in 2023. Cases peaked in August 2024, particularly among children ages 2 to 17, and notably affected younger children (under 4) more than in past outbreaks. Since the beginning of 2025, infections have been decreasing, but they remain elevated in some parts of the country.
Walking pneumonia typically causes a persistent dry cough, low-grade fever, fatigue, and sometimes a sore throat. It’s called “walking” pneumonia because most people feel well enough to go about their day, unlike the bedridden experience of more severe pneumonia. It responds to antibiotics, unlike viral respiratory infections.
Common Colds Haven’t Gone Anywhere
Rhinoviruses, the most common cause of the ordinary cold, circulate year-round but tend to peak in fall and spring in temperate climates. February can also see elevated activity. A standard cold brings a runny nose, sneezing, mild sore throat, and maybe a low-grade fever, but it generally doesn’t cause the intense body aches or high fevers associated with flu or COVID. Most colds resolve in 7 to 10 days without any intervention beyond rest and fluids.
How to Tell What You Have
The honest answer is that symptoms alone won’t reliably distinguish between flu, COVID, RSV, or a cold. All four cause some combination of cough, congestion, sore throat, and fatigue. A few clues can help narrow it down: sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhea without respiratory symptoms points to norovirus. A persistent dry cough lasting weeks in a child or young adult could suggest mycoplasma. High fever with severe body aches is more characteristic of flu or COVID than a common cold. But for a definitive answer, rapid tests for flu and COVID are widely available at pharmacies and clinics.
What to Do if You Get Sick
The CDC’s current guidance for respiratory viruses is straightforward: stay home while you’re sick, and return to normal activities only after your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours and any fever has been gone for a full day without fever-reducing medication. Once you’re back out, take extra precautions for the next five days. That means wearing a well-fitting mask in crowded or indoor settings, washing your hands more frequently, keeping some distance from others when possible, and improving ventilation in your space.
Antiviral treatments are available for both flu and COVID and work best when started early, ideally within the first day or two of symptoms. If you test positive for either and are at higher risk for severe illness due to age, pregnancy, or underlying health conditions, getting treated quickly can significantly reduce the chance of the illness worsening.