After a slow start, flu season is here and seasonal flu activity is increasing across the country while COVID activity remains low nationally. Aside from the expected sharp drop in visits over the Thanksgiving holiday (see Chart 1), visit volume has been steadily rising since November 1. The CDC estimates that there have been at least 2,900,000 illnesses, 30,000 hospitalizations, and 1,200 deaths from flu so far this season.
Last Updated January 13, 2026
Visits Per Clinic Per Day
After a significant decline, from 31 in August to about 27 urgent care visits per clinic per day through mid-October, visit volume began a rebound that lasted up to the Thanksgiving holiday. Since that time, we’ve seen a sharp increase in urgent care visits, and the 7-day rolling average is over 31 visits per visit per day in close alignment with last year’s visit trends.
Source: Experity data
Visits per clinic per day VS. Flu Seasonality
As we begin the holiday season in the U.S., we’re seeing a significant surge in positive lab results for flu and are on the same trajectory as January of 2026. Positivity rose from 3% in late September to 41% at the turn of the new year.
Source: Experity Data
Flu Positivity
In the several weeks, flu positivity has remained elevated across the Upper Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast, with states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Texas showing higher rates of positive flu tests. These patterns suggest ongoing flu spread and often correlate with increased urgent care visit volume and operational strain as flu season intensifies.
Source: Experity Data
FLU TESTING
The highest concentration of flu testing and positive results continues to cluster across the Eastern and Southeastern U.S., signaling elevated demand for urgent care services in these regions.
Check out some of our top resources to help urgent cares manage and leverage fluctuating visit volume to secure continued business growth throughout the year.
