Health trends Article
Winter Virus Surveillance: What Viruses Were Circulating in August?
As winter came to an end, respiratory viruses continued to circulate in the communities served by Toga Laboratories.
During August 2026, we received slightly more respiratory samples for viral testing than we did in July. There was also a small increase in the overall number of positive results, although this remained within the normal variation we expect to see during the winter months.
What did our testing show?
Influenza A/H1N1 remained the most commonly detected respiratory virus, with a positivity rate of 27.2%.
Rhinovirus, which is commonly associated with cold-like symptoms, remained the second most frequently detected virus at 18.1%.
One of the biggest changes from July was Influenza B, which increased to 8.2%, almost double the previous month’s detection rate, although this increase was from a relatively low starting point.
RSV detection, on the other hand, decreased by approximately half. Adenovirus, Metapneumovirus and Parainfluenza were also detected during the month, while SARS-CoV-2 remained at a very low level of less than 1%.
What does this mean?
The results indicate that Influenza A and rhinovirus were circulating widely within the communities served by Toga Laboratories during August.
We also saw less variation in results from week to week compared with July, which is typical as we begin moving out of winter and towards spring.
It is important to remember that these results provide a snapshot of the samples tested by Toga Laboratories and do not represent the prevalence of these viruses across the entire South African population.
Looking towards spring
Respiratory virus patterns can change as the seasons change. Our August surveillance covers the period 1–31 August 2026, with all testing performed using PCR methodology. We expect these patterns to continue shifting as we move further into spring.
If you are experiencing persistent or worsening respiratory symptoms, speak to your healthcare provider about whether testing may be appropriate.