Overview
- National surveillance shows Respiratory Syncytial Virus is the top agent in severe respiratory hospitalizations in 2026, with more than 65,000 bronchiolitis cases and 2,267 hospitalizations with identified RSV through epidemiological week 28.
- Diresa Junín launched a 'double protection' campaign on Wednesday that offers maternal RSV vaccination at 32–36 weeks and monoclonal antibodies for infants under six months, with a target of 4,769 vaccine doses for August–September and 3,687 monoclonal doses already distributed across its health network.
- The province of Córdoba has added about 10,000 doses of nirsevimab and is administering the monoclonal at maternity discharge and at vaccination clinics to cover newborns born from January 1, 2026 and high‑risk infants born from September 1, 2025.
- Health experts warn the youngest infants, preterm babies, and children with conditions such as heart disease or Down syndrome face the highest risk of severe RSV but note that previously healthy term infants can also require hospital care and that 20–30% of patients may develop complications needing hospitalization or ICU admission.
- Authorities say lower routine vaccination since the COVID‑19 pandemic and social media misinformation threaten uptake, so teams are using house visits and clinic campaigns while monitoring hospital trends to assess whether the combined maternal vaccine and monoclonal approach reduces admissions.