Auckland has its worst week for flu-related hospitalisations in 10 years
Auckland has recorded its highest number of flu-related hospitalizations in a decade, with 177 admissions in a single week. Health officials note that a combination of influenza, RSV, and rhinovirus is placing significant strain on the local healthcare system.
Why it matters
The surge highlights the ongoing vulnerability of public health infrastructure to seasonal respiratory illness spikes and the potential for systemic overload.
It’s been a particularly severe week of winter illness. Photo / Getty Images
Auckland has had its worst week for flu hospitalisations in a decade.
There were 177 people admitted to four Auckland hospitals with severe acute respiratory illness (Sari) from August 9 to August 16, up from 125 patients the week before.
PHF Science said the past week’s hospitalisation rate is the highest weekly rate for Tāmaki Makaurau since 2015.
Dr Hannah Cooper, a public health physician in the health intelligence team at PHF Science, said while it was not a worse flu than usual, there was more of it around.
“Last Thursday there’d been a real sort of spike in activity, but it was still kind of within the sort of normal range for the peak of a season.
“This week it really has increased further.
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