A common winter virus called RSV is currently spreading across New Zealand and making babies/pēpi sick. RSV is
incredibly infectious and can easily pass from person to person through coughing and sneezing.
Canterbury and West Coast DHBs’ Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ramon Pink says RSV can be very serious for young children
and newborns in particular.
“For that reason Canterbury and West Coast DHBs request that only well-parents and caregivers visit their baby/pēpi in
hospital and ask people not to visit anyone if they are unwell. Fewer people in means less risk to the baby/patient.
“Please look out for the symptoms below in children under the age of one especially, and contact your GP team or
healthcare provider for advice if you are concerned.
“In Canterbury you can call your usual GP number 24/7 for free advice. After hours a nurse will be able to advise you
what to do and where to go. On the West Coast people should call their GP during normal hours and Healthline on 0800 611
116 after hours,” says Dr Pink.
Masks are advised for visitors to hospital where they cannot physically distance themselves from strangers or where they
are visiting someone who may be particularly vulnerable.
What to look out for
RSV symptoms include a runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever (often mild) and wheezing or noisy
breathing. It can cause more serious illness such as bronchiolitis (narrowing of airways in infants) and pneumonia – in
which case they will need hospital care.When to seek urgent advice
Parents and caregivers should seek urgent medical advice if their baby or infant has symptoms and:is under three months oldis breathing fast, noisily or is having to use extra effort to breathelooks pale and unwellis taking less than half their normal feedsis vomitinghas not had a wet nappy for more than six hours.
Parents and caregivers should call 111 for an ambulance if a child:has blue lips and tonguehas severe difficulty breathingis becoming very sleepy and not easy to wake upis floppyhas breathing that is not regular, or they pause in their breathing.Simple things you can do yourself
All the precautions you know so well from our COVID-19 response will also help stop the spread of RSV and other winter
illnesses:Keep children home if they’re sick and stay home yourself if you’re not wellWash your hands often with soap or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiserCough or sneeze into your elbowWear a mask or face covering on public transport or when you cannot physically distance from strangers.
For more information on RSV from the Ministry of Health, visit https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv