Hawke's Bay Hospital still seeing RSV cases, urges caution for visitors

The restricted visitor policy remains in place at Hawke's Bay Hospital due to the RSV outbreak. Photo / NZME

A surge in winter RSV is still affecting the Hawke's Bay region, with 22 now in Hawke's Bay Hospital, and two in intensive care.

Of the 22, 18 are adults and four are children, and two adults are in intensive care.

A Hawke's Bay DHB spokeswoman said the DHB's visiting policy remained in place to protect healthy children from catching RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) from people in hospital.

"It's important for people who are sick and progressively getting worse to get medical help early, to help prevent a hospital admission," she said.

"Parents and caregivers are advised to keep children warm and at home and away from other children if sick."

Children with younger siblings or babies at home should be kept away from early childcare centres and kōhanga reo where possible, she said.

There were RSV signs and symptoms to look out for, she said.

Pauses in breathing could be a symptom of severe RSV illness in babies and signs of this, especially in the very young, meant they should be seen by a doctor urgently.

Other signs of when to seek medical attention urgently in children included audible wheezing sounds, breathing very fast, laboured breathing — the ribs seem to suck inward when the child breathes in, seeming very unwell and sluggish or lethargic.

She said people should also check in on older neighbours, friends and family to check they were okay.

Some of the hospital areas currently have a no-visitor policy because of RSV.

No visitors are allowed in Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), Ata Rangi (maternity birthing unit, Hawke's Bay Hospital), Waioha (primary birthing unit, Hawke's Bay Hospital), Wairoa maternity ward, and Children's ward.

There are exceptions - parents/guardians can support a child in hospital, Emergency Department is limited to one support person per patient, and Ward A1 visiting is limited to one visitor per patient, once a day only.