Chicago Weekly Respiratory Virus Lab Surveillance Data

Chicago Department of Public Health aggregates weekly respiratory virus laboratory data from hospital and commercial labs. The dataset tracks influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and other viruses, with influenza data available from the 2010-2011 season onward. Data are provisional and represent tests performed on both Chicago and non-Chicago residents.

Use Cases

• Analyze weekly trends in influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV test results to monitor seasonal outbreak patterns.
• Compare the relative activity levels of parainfluenza, rhinovirus/enterovirus, adenovirus, and human metapneumovirus over time.
• Build a multi-virus surveillance dashboard using the weekly aggregated laboratory data reported to CDPH.

Strengths

• Provides longitudinal data for influenza spanning from the 2010-2011 season to present.
• Includes surveillance for eight distinct respiratory virus categories, including seasonal coronaviruses.
• Data is updated weekly by the Chicago Department of Public Health for ongoing monitoring.

Limitations

• Lacks patient demographic and geographic information, limiting subgroup analysis.
• Data is voluntarily reported and provisional, so numbers may differ from other sources and are subject to revision.
• Represents tests from specific reporting facilities and may not capture all testing activity in Chicago.

Provenance

Source

City of Chicago, Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Collection Method

Voluntarily reported weekly respiratory viral PCR test data from several hospital and commercial laboratories.

Time Range

Influenza data from 2010-2011 to present; other viruses from 2019-2020 to present.

Freshness

Updated weekly.

Geography

Tests performed by laboratories in Chicago, though data includes both Chicago and non-Chicago residents.