A surge in severe respiratory illness has been placing New Zealand’s hospitals under intense pressure over recent weeks. While influenza has been the main driver, rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have also contributed to the unusually high patient load.
Babies and young children carry a disproportionate share of RSV disease. In a typical year, around 1,800 to 2,000 children under five are hospitalised with RSV, about half of them infants. Māori and Pacific infants, along with children living in deprived or crowded households, are disproportionately affected.
