Purpose
The Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RESP-NET) is made up of three networks. These conduct population-based surveillance for laboratory-confirmed hospitalizations associated with COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza among children and adults.
Overview
RESP-NET does not collect data on all hospitalizations caused by respiratory illnesses, but it can describe hospitalizations caused by three viruses that account for a large proportion of these hospitalizations. Surveillance is conducted through a network of acute care hospitals in select counties or county equivalents in:
- 12 states for RSV surveillance.
- 13 states for COVID-19 surveillance.
- 14 states for influenza surveillance.
The surveillance platforms for these viruses are COVID-NET, RSV-NET, and FluSurv-NET. These cover more than 30 million people and include an estimated 8-10% of the U.S. population.
Rates presented on the RESP-NET interactive dashboard can be used to follow trends and compare COVID-19, influenza, and RSV-associated hospitalization rates in different demographic groups. This includes data by age, sex, and race and ethnicity, and across seasons and states.
Surveillance in RESP-NET for these viruses relies on clinical testing ordered by a healthcare provider. Hospitalization rates are unadjusted and do not account for undertesting, differing provider or facility testing practices, and diagnostic test sensitivity. The true burden of hospitalizations associated with these viruses in the United States may be greater than what is shown by these numbers.
Important information
RESP-NET hospitalization data are preliminary and subject to change as more data become available. Rates for recent hospital admissions are subject to reporting delays that might increase around holidays or during periods of increased hospital utilization. As new data are received each week, previous rates are updated accordingly.
To see further hospitalization data, visit:
See Emergency Department Visits for Viral Respiratory Illness for a combined view of emergency department visit data for multiple respiratory conditions tracked by the National Syndromic Surveillance Program.
Using the RESP-NET interactive dashboard
1. Select a topic of interest
To use the RESP-NET interactive dashboard, select a topic to see specific data trends. Topics include age group, race and ethnicity, sex, state, and season. Hospitalization rates can be viewed as weekly or cumulative rates.
2. Select a filter of interest
Data can be filtered by pathogen, age group, race and ethnicity, sex, season, and state. Filters vary by topic, as not all topics have filters available.
3. Select other ways to view
The data can be displayed in a graph, which is the default view, or as a table.
- Right click anywhere in the graph.
- Select "Show as a table" for a tabular view.
- Hover mouse or select a data point or bar in the graph.
This will display detailed information.
Some graphs allow you to hide or show data from the legend for detailed analysis.