A highly infectious virus that particularly affects children aged under four is ripping through Queensland communities, with cases five times higher than this time last year.
Data released this week by Queensland Health reported more than 8,500 cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were diagnosed by the end of April, compared to fewer than 1,800 in 2022.
Griffith University infectious diseases expert Nigel McMillan says RSV is "particularly nasty" for the young.
"It's the leading cause of hospitalisation for respiratory illness in kids," Professor McMillan said.
"The best way with RSV is obviously to avoid being exposed — or avoid your young children being exposed to that virus — which is sometimes more difficult than it seems."
Sunshine Coast public health officer Nick Smoll says children under nine are the ones most vulnerable to RSV and influenza (the flu), in contrast to strains of the coronavirus.
"We know that our younger population is highly at risk of severe complications from these diseases," Dr Smoll said.
Cases peaked in mid-March before easing at the start of April. But cases are increasing once again.
Over half Qld cases outside Brisbane
RSV is also burning through regional areas with more than half of the state's 900 cases in the final week of April being diagnosed outside of Greater Brisbane.
Townsville recorded 58 infections in the seven-day period — more than its RSV total for the first four months of last year.
The influenza vaccine is available for young children, but a newly developed vaccine for RSV is yet to be approved in Australia.
Recent cases (Apr 24-30) |
Year to date 2023 (Apr 30) |
Year to date 2022 (to Apr 30) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| TORRES AND CAPE | 5 |
52 |
0 |
| CAIRNS AND HINTERLAND | 49 |
588 |
127 |
| NORTH WEST | 3 |
12 |
1 |
| TOWNSVILLE | 58 |
495 |
13 |
| MACKAY | 35 |
157 |
21 |
| CENTRAL QUEENSLAND | 36 |
228 |
15 |
| CENTRAL WEST | 2 |
7 |
0 |
| WIDE BAY | 25 |
335 |
5 |
| SUNSHINE COAST | 36 |
404 |
95 |
| METRO NORTH | 212 |
1,846 |
335 |
| METRO SOUTH | 224 |
2,339 |
694 |
| DARLING DOWNS | 36 |
174 |
32 |
| WEST MORETON | 83 |
749 |
48 |
| SOUTH WEST | 9 |
41 |
0 |
| GOLD COAST | 88 |
1,145 |
402 |
| INTERSTATE | 0 |
8 |
3 |
| QUEENSLAND | 901 |
8,580 |
1,791 |
COVID years mean 'waning immunity'
There is a chance the state might have to endure a severe cold and flu season this winter, Dr Smoll said.
In part, he said, because COVID-era restrictions were so effective at limiting viral spread through the first years of the pandemic.
He says Queenslanders might now have a "waning immunity" to different spreading viruses.
"That's one of the concerns that was circulating that may be borne out with what we see this year," Dr Smoll said.
"[That is] why we're exceptionally vigilant at watching what happens in the virulence of particularly the flu and RSV."
influenza cases across the state are also up to more than double the health department's five-year average.
At the end of April, more than 9,200 people had been diagnosed with influenza, up from an average of about 4,000.
