Rotorua Hospital. Photo / NZME
A "downward trend" in cases of RSV has eased the pressure on Bay hospitals which have seen hundreds of patients battle the respiratory illness since the beginning of the outbreak in May.
But health professionals are warning, despite the decrease, they continue to see new cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in both children and adults.
A Lakes District Health Board spokeswoman said there had been a "significant improvement" in the number of RSV cases presenting to the hospital and being admitted to the children's unit.
"Children with RSV are now in the minority," she said.
"The admission rate now is more like our usual busy winter pattern, so the ward and emergency department remains stretched with additional workload."
In the week ending August 8, nine patients were admitted to the children's unit with RSV and five others were admitted to the medical unit.
A total of 176 patients with RSV had been admitted to Lakes DHB hospitals this year.
"The hospitals continue to be busy with high demands across both sites but at levels Lakes DHB has managed before. RSV and RSV-like patients have been adding strain."
She said the reduced RSV numbers were a "credit to whānau for keeping their children home if they have colds or chest infections.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board clinical nurse specialist infection prevention and control Robyn Boyne said the children's ward had some cases of RSV but it was no longer the main reason for admission.
"There is a general downward trend in the number of cases being seen, but we are still seeing new cases in both adults and children," Boyne said.
Toi Te Ora Public Health medical officer of health Dr Phil Shoemack said he was aware RSV was still present although recorded numbers were declining.
"At the start of the outbreak in early July, Toi Te Ora provided information on preventing and managing the virus to its networks including early learning services," Shoemack said.
"Since sharing this information, we have seen a significant reduction in inquiries about RSV from ELSs. We are also receiving fewer reports of RSV being detected in aged residential care facilities."
BestStart Educare deputy chief executive Fiona Hughes said anecdotally they had "significantly fewer children away sick" at their centres nationwide.
ESR public health physician Dr Sarah Jefferies said the prevalence of RSV was likely the result of lower population immunity because of New Zealand's Covid-19 isolation last year and the increase in movement since then.
She said the "much lower levels of population immunity against RSV" was explained by the Covid-19 response which then led to "exceptionally high RSV activity" in the past five weeks.
Last month, Bay of Plenty mother Rachel Crump spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times urging parents to be vigilant as RSV cases soared in the community.
She was haunted by her daughter's own experience with RSV in 2019.
But only weeks after speaking out her 8-year-old daughter Chloe Crump, who lives with bronchiectasis and severe asthma, was diagnosed with RSV for a second time.
"It was quite unnerving to be honest, at first I was freaked out because I wasn't sure if she was going to get worse," she said.
"She had reasonably mild symptoms but it caused complications with her bronchiectasis."
Chloe was then admitted to hospital for IV antibiotic treatment. And after days in hospital, her condition started to improve.
Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease caused by repeated chest infections and chronic inflammation where the airways in the lungs have become scarred and damaged.
This makes Chloe more susceptible to severe chest infections that can be caused by something as simple as the common cold.
"Her respiratory issues started when she was 5 months old so she doesn't know any different, she copes really well even when she is in hospital."
Chloe uses a nebuliser twice a day to help keep her lungs clear of bacteria, and had been admitted to hospital three times this year.
She was recently gifted a brand new trampoline through Hell Pizza's programme Satan's Little Helper, which helped with her regular physio treatment.
"The bouncing helps trigger a cough reflex and that can loosen the mucus in her lungs, so it's a really good activity to help her."
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious virus causing lung and respiratory tract infections.
• A person infected with RSV spreads the virus in droplets when they cough, sneeze or talk.
• Very young children and premature babies can become very sick and may require hospitalisation. In this age group RSV can cause bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small breathing tubes of the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lung).
• Most adults and older children with RSV will experience symptoms similar to the common cold. But older adults, people with compromised immune systems and those with heart or lungs conditions are also more at risk from RSV.
• Many children will be able to recover from this illness at home, but some will be admitted to hospital to support their feeding and to be given additional oxygen when that is needed.
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