Florida is currently dealing with low-level respiratory virus activity, with COVID-19 wastewater signals at their lowest point and flu season winding down. While no single virus is surging across the state right now, several remain in circulation and worth knowing about, especially as Florida’s warm climate creates year-round conditions for both respiratory and mosquito-borne infections.
COVID-19 Activity in Florida
COVID-19 levels in Florida are very low as of late February 2026. Wastewater monitoring, which tracks viral particles in sewage to estimate how much virus is spreading in a community, shows Florida at the lowest category on the CDC’s five-tier scale. All 13 reporting wastewater sites across the state registered “very low” viral activity for the week ending February 28, 2026.
The dominant variant circulating nationally is called XFG, making up roughly 29% of sequenced cases in the broader southeastern region that includes Florida. Variants continue to shift every few months, but none of the current strains have triggered the kind of major waves seen in earlier years. If you’ve had COVID before or been vaccinated, you still carry some degree of immune protection, though it fades over time.
Florida’s public health guidance on COVID vaccines differs from federal recommendations. The state surgeon general has advised against mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and recommended that providers who want to vaccinate higher-risk patients (those over 65 or with underlying conditions) prioritize non-mRNA options. The state has instead emphasized general wellness strategies: staying active, eating whole foods, and getting outdoor sunlight for vitamin D.
Flu Season Status
Influenza A has been the dominant flu strain this season by a wide margin. Nationally, about 95% of flu cases have been influenza A, with only 5% caused by influenza B. Among the influenza A cases that were subtyped, the H3N2 strain accounted for 86%, while H1N1 made up the remaining 14%. H3N2 seasons tend to hit older adults harder than H1N1-dominant seasons.
Florida’s overall respiratory virus activity level is currently rated low to moderate by the CDC, which tracks transmission across the country by state. Flu activity typically peaks in Florida between December and February, so the state is on the downslope of the season. That said, sporadic cases continue, and flu can circulate in Florida later into spring than in northern states.
Norovirus and Stomach Bugs
Despite norovirus making national headlines during the 2025-2026 season, Florida has reported zero confirmed norovirus outbreaks to the CDC’s tracking system (CaliciNet) between September 2025 and January 2026. That doesn’t mean no one in Florida has had norovirus. It means no large, confirmed outbreaks were formally reported through the surveillance network. Individual cases and smaller clusters can still occur without triggering an official outbreak report.
Norovirus spreads easily in close-contact settings like cruise ships, nursing homes, and daycare centers. Florida’s cruise port traffic makes it a perennial hotspot for stomach virus exposure, even when state-level outbreak counts are low. Frequent handwashing with soap and water (not just hand sanitizer, which is less effective against norovirus) remains the best protection.
Mosquito-Borne Viruses to Watch
Florida’s mosquito season runs roughly from May through November, and several viruses transmitted by mosquitoes circulate in the state every year. Dengue fever had a notable 2024, with 93 locally acquired cases and over 1,000 cases in travelers returning from other countries. That was a significant jump in imported cases compared to prior years, reflecting larger dengue outbreaks in the Caribbean and Central America.
West Nile virus also circulates in Florida annually. In 2024, the state recorded 4 cases of West Nile fever and 5 infections detected through blood donation screening, but zero cases of the more severe neuroinvasive form that can cause brain swelling or meningitis. For comparison, 2020 saw 44 neuroinvasive cases, so activity levels fluctuate considerably year to year.
Eastern equine encephalitis, a rare but very dangerous mosquito-borne virus with a roughly 30% fatality rate, had no reported cases in Florida in 2024. The last cases were two neuroinvasive infections in 2023.
Oropouche virus, which emerged as a concern in 2024 due to outbreaks in South America and the Caribbean, has not been found spreading locally in the United States. A small number of travel-associated cases were identified in U.S. residents, and the CDC funded research in Florida specifically to study whether local mosquito and midge populations could transmit the strain circulating in Cuba. For now, Oropouche remains a watch-list item rather than an active local threat.
How to Check Current Activity
Viral activity in Florida changes week to week, so the most useful tools for staying current are updated regularly. The CDC’s wastewater dashboard lets you look up COVID-19 viral levels for your specific area. The CDC’s respiratory virus activity map shows state-level transmission for flu, COVID, and RSV combined. Florida’s own arbovirus surveillance page, maintained by the state health department, tracks mosquito-borne infections by county and updates case counts throughout the year.
If you’re feeling sick with fever, body aches, cough, or congestion right now in Florida, the most likely culprits are still the common respiratory viruses: a lingering flu case, a cold virus, or a mild COVID infection. Rapid tests for flu and COVID are available at most pharmacies and can help you figure out what you’re dealing with within minutes.