By Swetha Anil Kumar
Children across Pune are being admitted to hospitals in large numbers this monsoon after an increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. The rise has been reported mainly in August and early September and several cases were severe enough and required intensive care.
Pediatricians said that the surge is due to seasonal factors and changing viral patterns and hospitals are relying on supportive treatment to manage the crisis. In Pune, doctors are witnessing a greater number of severe infections than in previous years. Hospitals have reported multiple admissions within short spans of time, with some children requiring oxygen therapy or ventilatory support.
While infants under the age of one are most vulnerable to RSV , doctors in Pune point out that children between three and six years are also being admitted in significant numbers. This trend, they say, marks a departure from the typical pattern of RSV predominantly affecting newborns and toddlers. The illness in older children has often presented with persistent cough, wheezing, and breathing difficulties, occasionally demanding ICU care.
The city’s monsoon season has created a favourable environment for respiratory viruses. Air pollution is also thought to be a contributing factor. RSV can be treated through hydration, respiratory support, and monitoring, since no widely available curative antiviral medication exists. A recently introduced preventive option, Nirsevimab, offers significant protection for high-risk infants, but its steep cost of around ₹40,000 per dose puts it out of reach for many families.
So far, doctors in Pune have not reported large numbers of deaths linked to RSV , but the burden on hospitals has been considerable. Public health authorities have not issued official data on RSV cases, as the virus is not tracked separately under influenza surveillance. Still, the scale of admissions indicates that RSV has become one of the most pressing pediatric health challenges in Pune this season.