Is RSV going around in the Netherlands?

RSV in the Netherlands typically returns in autumn, rises through November, and peaks between December and February before fading in spring. RIVM tracks RSV alongside flu and COVID-19 in its weekly respiratory-virus surveillance, with Nivel's sentinel GP data and hospital admission figures both contributing. Intensity and exact timing vary year to year, and post-pandemic seasons have at times started earlier.

The two highest-risk groups are infants, especially those under six months, premature babies, and children with heart or lung conditions, and older adults, particularly those aged 75 and above or with chronic respiratory or cardiac disease. In otherwise healthy adults and older children, RSV usually resembles a common cold and resolves within a week or two.

Yes. The Netherlands has introduced the long-acting monoclonal antibody nirsevimab for infants entering their first RSV season, following advice from the Gezondheidsraad and coordinated by RIVM. RSV vaccination is recommended for older adults in defined risk groups, and the Dutch immunisation schedule continues to evolve as new evidence on vaccines and maternal immunisation emerges.

RIVM tracks RSV by combining Nivel sentinel GP swabbing, virological testing at Erasmus MC and RIVM, and hospital admission data for severe acute respiratory infection. Paediatric bronchiolitis admissions are followed closely as an early signal of RSV pressure on hospital care. Results are published weekly and feed into the ECDC ERVISS platform for European comparison.

RSV and influenza both cause respiratory infections and co-circulate during Dutch winters, but their risk profiles differ. RSV is the leading cause of bronchiolitis in infants, while flu affects all age groups and is especially severe in older adults and those with chronic conditions. Symptoms often overlap, so a reliable distinction usually requires laboratory testing through sentinel or hospital networks.