Regional Update, Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. Epidemiological Week 17 (8 May 2026)

Regional situation: In EW 17 of 2026, respiratory virus activity in the Region of the Americas consolidates the pattern of inter-hemispheric seasonal transition already observed in previous weeks, with increasingly marked divergence between hemispheres. North America, the Caribbean and Central America continue their post-peak decline toward the inter-seasonal baseline, while Brazil and the Southern Cone intensify their upward trend of season start, with Argentina being the country showing the most marked rise of the region during the reporting period. The Andean Subregion shows mixed signals with an aggregate decline but growing divergence among the different countries, and a notable early upswing of RSV. A(H3N2) remains the predominant subtype in most subregions of the Southern Hemisphere, while in North America the predominance of influenza B that has characterized the end of the 2025–2026 season continues. SARS-CoV-2 maintains its widespread decline with no signal of resurgence in any subregion. Likewise, the SARI and ILI burden declines in the Northern Hemisphere, while indicators are starting to show an increase in the Southern Cone.