Hospital admissions linked to respiratory syncytial virus have risen in England, with the measure moving from the baseline category to a low level in the latest weekly surveillance figures. The increase was particularly visible among young children.
The figures cover 2 to 8 November and show an overall weekly RSV hospital admission rate of 1.30 per 100,000 people, compared with 0.89 the week before. Other RSV indicators remained within baseline levels. The hospital measure excludes admissions to intensive care and high-dependency units.
Among children under five, the RSV hospitalisation rate increased to 18.18 per 100,000 from 12.76. For adults aged 75 and over, it rose to 1.02 per 100,000 from 0.15. These are rates for the populations served by the trusts contributing to the surveillance, not counts of every admission across England.
The change in classification concerns the hospital indicator, not a declaration that all measures of RSV activity are high. The data are provisional and can be updated as further information is received. The latest RSV hospital figures come from a voluntary network of 16 NHS trusts, so they provide a surveillance picture rather than a complete national tally.
What the figures show
RSV activity was increasing but remained at baseline in the previous weekly report. In the latest figures, emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis also increased, although they were below the level expected for the time of year. Bronchiolitis is a chest infection commonly caused by RSV in babies.
Laboratory measures and hospital admissions do not tell exactly the same story. The proportion of tests positive for RSV in one laboratory surveillance measure rose slightly to 3.2 per cent from 2.9 per cent. In GP swabbing, RSV positivity fell to 2.6 per cent from 3.0 per cent. The latest GP sample data may not be fully representative of the country as a whole and can be revised.
Flu admissions also rose during the same week. The weekly rate increased to 3.65 per 100,000 from 3.00, while influenza activity remained at a low level. The flu hospital figure was based on data from 54 trusts. COVID-19 activity remained stable and low, with its hospital admission rate broadly unchanged at 2.22 per 100,000 compared with 2.23 the previous week.
Those virus measures should not be treated as identical counts. They use different surveillance collections, and the RSV hospital rate excludes intensive care and high-dependency admissions. The earlier week’s flu and RSV rates differ from the figures in the previous report; the data are provisional and can be revised.
Who is most at risk?
RSV is common and usually causes cold-like symptoms, including a cough, a blocked or runny nose and tiredness. In babies it can also cause irritability and reduced feeding. Most infections are not serious, but babies under six months, older adults and people with weakened immune systems or certain heart or lung conditions can be more vulnerable to severe illness.
In some cases RSV can lead to bronchiolitis or pneumonia and breathing problems that need hospital treatment. Washing hands, cleaning toys and surfaces, and keeping newborn babies away from people with cold or flu symptoms can help reduce the chance of infection spreading.
An urgent GP appointment or help from NHS 111 is appropriate if a child is getting worse, feeding much less than normal or showing signs of dehydration. Severe breathing difficulty, a child who is floppy or cannot stay awake, or lips or skin turning very pale, blue or grey require a 999 call.
Vaccination and protection
The NHS offers an RSV vaccine from 28 weeks of pregnancy to help protect babies after birth. It is recommended during every pregnancy. People who have reached 28 weeks and have not been offered it can speak to their maternity service or GP surgery.
The vaccine is also available to people aged 75 and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and some people aged 65 to 74 with a weakened immune system or a qualifying long-term lung condition. It reduces the risk of serious illness; it does not mean every infection will be prevented.
The latest hospital figures are a snapshot of one week rather than a forecast for the rest of winter. Further surveillance will show whether the rise in admissions continues and how activity changes across age groups.
