Experts raise concern as surge in contagious virus cases threatens Aussie babies and seniors

As the leaves turn and the chill of winter approaches, Australian families are facing a health alert that's particularly concerning for the youngest and oldest among us.

The culprit? A highly contagious virus known as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has already affected tens of thousands of Australian babies and is expected to surge as the colder months set in.


In the first half of 2024 alone, over 47,000 cases of RSV have been recorded in children under the age of five, and the numbers are only expected to rise.

In light of these alarming statistics, the Immunisation Foundation of Australia launched an RSV Awareness Week on Sunday, June 2, to educate the public and advocate for better protection measures.


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Over 47,000 cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have affected Australian infants and toddlers in the first 5 months of 2024 alone. Credits: Shutterstock


RSV is not a new threat; it's a common respiratory virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms.

However, in infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, it can lead to more severe respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

Alarmingly, this year has seen a spike in cases, with 70 per cent of RSV infections occurring in children under five and more than 13,000 cases in individuals aged 60 and over.


The situation is dire enough that experts like Hannah Moore, Head of Infectious Disease at the Telethon Kids Institute, are raising the alarm.

‘There are certainly higher rates at the moment for this time of year than what we have seen in previous years,’ she cautioned.

‘RSV affects mainly young children and infants, really infants under the age of six months, those that are at the highest risk of severe disease.’


The response to this growing health crisis has been varied across the country. Western Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales have taken proactive steps by implementing RSV infant immunisation programs.

However, other states and territories lag behind, leaving many children unprotected.

The risk is not evenly distributed. Premature infants, Aboriginal peoples, and those with weakened immune systems or neurological conditions are at a higher risk of severe infection from RSV.

According to the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, nationwide infant RSV immunisation could prevent an estimated 10,000 hospital admissions annually.


Dr Lisa McHugh, an Infectious Diseases and Perinatal Epidemiologist at the University of Queensland, warned that the number of active infections is expected to climb as temperatures drop.

‘At the start of winter, we've already recorded nearly two-thirds [of] the total number of RSV cases reported in 2023. This is well ahead of the normal curve,’ she explained.

‘Without immunisation, we know that around 12,000 Australian babies are hospitalised with pneumonia and bronchiolitis caused by RSV each year, with one-in-four requiring intensive care.’

‘It's wonderful that for the first time, we can protect babies and the elderly from RSV, but it's not sustainable to have infant immunisation programs in some states and not others, nor to ask older Australians to pay hundreds of dollars each year for RSV protection,’ she added.

Dr McHugh and other infectious disease experts are taking this issue to the Federal Parliament House today, June 4, hoping to brief parliamentarians on the latest research into RSV and the urgent need for a unified response.


As the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues to spread across Australia, particularly affecting vulnerable populations like babies and the elderly, the healthcare system is facing significant strain.

This contagious virus, which can cause severe respiratory issues such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia, led to a surge in hospitalisations and increased healthcare burden.

In parallel to the RSV outbreak, state health authorities are also grappling with a surge of COVID-19-like illnesses, further straining the healthcare system.

This dual challenge underscores the importance of robust public health strategies and the need for timely vaccinations to protect at-risk populations and ease the load on healthcare facilities.
Key Takeaways
  • Tens of thousands of Australian babies have been infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), with over 47,000 cases reported in children under five.
  • Infection rates are expected to worsen during the winter months, leading to calls for increased public health interventions.
  • Some states in Australia have commenced RSV infant immunisation programs, but there is no nationwide program, leading to disparities in vaccine access.
  • Experts are urging state-funded RSV immunisation programs to prevent hospitalisations and provide uniform protection, especially for vulnerable groups like infants and the elderly.
Have you or someone you know been affected by this virus? What do you advise others to protect themselves from contracting it? Let us know your stories and suggestions in the comments below.
 
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I do my OWN research BUDDY! Without being swayed by the socially misguided clowns of this world.

Your darling Professor Robert Clancy actually is a contributor to Quadrant magazine, a conservative publication specialising in Australian literary, cultural, and political issues. Much of a political agenda here?

Would you like to escalate this to an argument? I am more than accommodating. There will be only one winner and that is me.
 
I do my OWN research BUDDY! Without being swayed by the socially misguided clowns of this world.

Your darling Professor Robert Clancy actually is a contributor to Quadrant magazine, a conservative publication specialising in Australian literary, cultural, and political issues. Much of a political agenda here?

Would you like to escalate this to an argument? I am more than accommodating. There will be only one winner and that is me.
You aren't in the league for a discussion.
I've seen your posts on this forum - just destructive, discouraging smart comments.
No thanks.
I like to choose my company, and it isn't going to be yours!

"There will be only one winner and that is me."

And there's your problem, mate.
You are narcissistic - have to be the winner, have to belittle others, have to have an audience.

A true and thoughtful participant makes contributions that elevate others above themselves, because ultimately their improved abilities would come back to benefit everyone.

Bet you were the King of the Castle in the schoolyard too.
Too big for your boots.
Come down to earth.
 
Hey buddy - if you don't want to read people's comments - just hack off.
No one is forcing you to read comments.
Get in touch with the Social Media Police if you see a violation, otherwise, go watch TV and chill.
It is possible you could have Social Media Overdose Syndrome.
The cure is to log out, take 2 Panadol and have a lie down.
i am not your buddy and i have as much right as you to express my feelings. what a dumb reply.
 
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People like to throw stuff around as if they are experts.
Ivermectin is now being used successfully to treat terminal and unsalvageable cancer patients.
I have documentaion if anyone asks for it.

But let's look at Thalidomide.
True enough - it should not be used for morning sickness, as history records.

But did you know it is used off-label (revived) to treat these illnesses and diseases, with varying success rates:
* Multiple Myeloma
* Leprosy
* Myelofibrosis
* Some AIDS conditions (Kaposi Sarcoma)
* Lupus erythematosis
* Scleroderma
* Cardiovascular disease
* Bullous erythema multiforme
* Diabetic necrotic ulcers
* ... and many more in the pipeline being investigated.
As you have said "People like to throw stuff around as if they are experts.". Obviously this includes you. Where's any proper information about Ivermectin being used to treat cancer? All that has been said is it could do, but nothing definite.
It's an antiparasitic drug mainly used on horses and also used to treat several neglected tropical diseases.
 
it is not only kids. you obviously do not know annything about this drug.
It’s about being immunised about RSV which affects mainly young children and infants under the age of six months and the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, which can lead to more severe respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

If there's allegedly something wrong with it you better advise everyone with your medical knowledge about this?:rolleyes:
 
Where's any proper information about Ivermectin being used to treat cancer? All that has been said is it could do, but nothing definite.
It's an antiparasitic drug mainly used on horses and also used to treat several neglected tropical diseases.
NOT 'mainly' used on horses - 'occasionally' used on horses is accurate.
It's misinformation (believed by the easily led) to place dependence solely on the needle, and not in considering cheap and effective alternatives.

Ivermectin prevents COVID illness.
WHEN GIVEN ON DAY 1 OF SYMPTOMS and not commencing it on day 4 to 7 as in the official trials (therefore setting up the trials to fail) it is 100% effective.


Had they allowed this info to get out, it would have negated the opportunity for the Emergency Use Authorisation to come in. If there is an off-label medication available that is effective, there can be no EUA.


You asked me for this, so I oblige.
YOU may not need this today, but believe me, if you or a member of your family has been through the full 9 yards of cancer care, and you are told to go home and set your affairs in order, you might come back to this item looking for help.


Don't just laugh this stuff off. Keep an open mind.
These anecdotes are the beginning of breakthroughs.

Instead, bookmark the video, or at least copy the transcript, which is kindly printed beneath the Video.

I am sure there are members of SDC who might find this worthy of their attention.
After 40 years in medical nursing, as well as CCU/ICU etc I know what is rubbish, and I know what is worthy of investigation. Not all doctors are against innovation.
This falls into the latter.

Don't gaslight or attack the messenger.
I am simply trying to open people's minds to the reality that help is staring us all in the face, and we are either too blind to see it, or we are being shielded from it for the financial benefits of others.

Quote from Interview Transcript:
"It is my belief, and I’m not alone in this, that the majority of cancers are caused by tumor viruses yet to be discovered. Once I understood that, it made sense to me why ivermectin would be effective against parasites.
"Everybody has known that for 50 years. Omura won the Nobel Prize for ivermectin. It basically eradicates river blindness almost entirely, and also dismantles viruses."
 
Last edited:
It’s about being immunised about RSV which affects mainly young children and infants under the age of six months and the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, which can lead to more severe respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

If there's allegedly something wrong with it you better advise everyone with your medical knowledge about this?:rolleyes:
it was a specialist that gave me the script. allegedly is a useless name in my book. why do you think i had it for. fun.
 
NOT 'mainly' used on horses - 'occasionally' used on horses is accurate.
It's misinformation (believed by the easily led) to place dependence solely on the needle, and not in considering cheap and effective alternatives.

Ivermectin prevents COVID illness.
WHEN GIVEN ON DAY 1 OF SYMPTOMS and not commencing it on day 4 to 7 as in the official trials (therefore setting up the trials to fail) it is 100% effective.


Had they allowed this info to get out, it would have negated the opportunity for the Emergency Use Authorisation to come in. If there is an off-label medication available that is effective, there can be no EUA.


You asked me for this, so I oblige.
YOU may not need this today, but believe me, if you or a member of your family has been through the full 9 yards of cancer care, and you are told to go home and set your affairs in order, you might come back to this item looking for help.


Don't just laugh this stuff off. Keep an open mind.
These anecdotes are the beginning of breakthroughs.

Instead, bookmark the video, or at least copy the transcript, which is kindly printed beneath the Video.

I am sure there are members of SDC who might find this worthy of their attention.
After 40 years in medical nursing, as well as CCU/ICU etc I know what is rubbish, and I know what is worthy of investigation. Not all doctors are against innovation.
This falls into the latter.

Don't gaslight or attack the messenger.
I am simply trying to open people's minds to the reality that help is staring us all in the face, and we are either too blind to see it, or we are being shielded from it for the financial benefits of others.

Quote from Interview Transcript:
"It is my belief, and I’m not alone in this, that the majority of cancers are caused by tumor viruses yet to be discovered. Once I understood that, it made sense to me why ivermectin would be effective against parasites.
"Everybody has known that for 50 years. Omura won the Nobel Prize for ivermectin. It basically eradicates river blindness almost entirely, and also dismantles viruses."
my mind is closed to you. unless you are a specialist, doctor of learning (Medical) keep your info to yourself. This is how wrong info gets into wrong hands.
 
my mind is closed to you. unless you are a specialist, doctor of learning (Medical) keep your info to yourself. This is how wrong info gets into wrong hands.
Hey!
No one is forcing you to read anything.

Disagree with something?
Do what I do - I look into it to see if there is some merit in the other position, and adjust my views accordingly if I see anything I have overlooked.

Or simply jog on, without raising your blood pressure.
Keep your mind closed, if you are comfortable with doing that.
I support your right to maintain your beliefs.

Most people are tuned out to this issue now, so you have an audience of one ... and I am only here so you don't feel so lonely.
Take a break.
Go watch a movie.
I can asssure you the world does NOT depend on what anonymous folk offer on this silly site.
 
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Reactions: Rickcb63
Hey!
No one is forcing you to read anything.

Disagree with something?
Do what I do - I look into it to see if there is some merit in the other position, and adjust my views accordingly if I see anything I have overlooked.

Or simply jog on, without raising your blood pressure.
Keep your mind closed, if you are comfortable with doing that.
I support your right to maintain your beliefs.

Most people are tuned out to this issue now, so you have an audience of one ... and I am only here so you don't feel so lonely.
Take a break.
Go watch a movie.
I can asssure you the world does NOT depend on what anonymous folk offer on this silly site.
I take it you were forced to reply. By the way what a stupid reply. are you not aware that comments left are those of the writer. P off.
 
either you had the vaccination or you didn't. would every body just SHUT UP about this as it is over to the individual to be vaxed or not. NO ONE ELSE. Just zip it.
Someone sounds like they regret having it !
 
They are currently looking for volunteers to trial a new vaccine for it. I hope the one they are talking about in this article has been thoroughly trialed and side effects treatment readily available
 
you are so wrong. I have an immune system that you would not want. I go to Mater cancer hospital twice a month. I spent 12 days with covid in ICU. regret I have none for all my jabs now i have had the rsv at 306.62
I had to pay $380 for my RSV jab as well as a $120 doctors prescription fee.
 
The fluctuations or disparity in costs around the country just seem wrong.
We paid $337 each for the RSV injection and $0 for the doctor to issue the script.
Must be the free enterprise system in action I guess:ninja::rolleyes:
 
you are so wrong. I have an immune system that you would not want. I go to Mater cancer hospital twice a month. I spent 12 days with covid in ICU. regret I have none for all my jabs now i have had the rsv at 306.62
All your jabs have taken away any last chance of you having a immune system, best you do some homework with your spare time.
 

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