Children’s wards nearing capacity in Poland amid surge in flu and RSV infections

Paediatric wards at Polish hospitals are nearing maximum capacity amid a surge in flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. One doctor says that over two years of pandemic-induced restrictions has left children’s immune systems more vulnerable.

Poland recorded 266,620 new flu infections in the week of 8-15 December (around half among children). That was more than triple last year’s figure of 79,861 in the same week and more than double the pre-pandemic number of 124,181 in the same week of 2019.

According to NIPH–NIH, the state public health and hygiene agency, more than a million people in Poland have fallen ill with flu or flu-like illnesses this season (which runs from October to May). Its weekly figures for flu incidence show that numbers are far higher than in recent years.

Polish media have issued reports this month of hospitals – and especially paediatric wards – “bursting at the seams” due to the onset of a “tripledemic” of flu, Covid and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. Other countries have been experiencing similar challenges.

Health minister Adam Niedzielski announced yesterday that around 10,000 paediatric beds are now occupied in Poland. That is approaching the total available number of 12,000-13,000, reports the Rzeczpospolita daily.

Niedzielski said that he has ordered the National Health Fund (NFZ) – which is responsible for financing Poland’s public healthcare system – to “conduct constant monitoring of paediatric occupancy”. He has also encouraged people to get flu jabs and Covid booster vaccines.

According to health ministry sources cited by RMF24, among children currently hospitalised, 16% are have RSV, 8.5% have the flu, and under 0.5% have Covid. Other viral infections together account for 17% of cases.

“We lived under a sanitary regime for two years; children had limited contact with viruses and now they are making up for it,” Kamila Ludwikowska from the Department of Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases of the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław told Gazeta Wyborcza.

“We have an increase in infection not only from the RSV virus but also flu and even scarlet fever,” she continued. “All health facilities are under siege.”

Main image credit: TOMASZ WASZCZUK / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

Alicja Ptak

Alicja Ptak is senior editor at Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She previously worked for Reuters.