Since 10 September last year, newborns have been offered an injection with antibodies against the RS virus – and the investment seems to have paid off. So far in 2026, only one infant has been in intensive care as a result of RS infection.
It is children who are born before or during the high season of the RS virus, that is during the winter months, who since last autumn have been offered antibodies that provide protection for five to six months.
Now data from the patient register and the Swedish intensive care register show that the number of cases and hospitalizations since the start of treatment in September last year is lower than in previous years. The number of children in intensive care has also decreased, only one child so far.
– It is a very positive result and the picture is shared by hospitals all over the country, says Maria State, head of department at the National Board of Health and Welfare.
Although there are several factors that can affect the spread of the RS virus, it is highly likely that it was the antibody treatment that was decisive.
A late RS season can shift the need for admissions in terms of time. Children whose mothers were vaccinated against the RS virus during pregnancy are also not treated at birth, which affects the total number of treated children.
RS virus also usually has higher and lower activity every two years, which affects comparisons between individual seasons.
– The fact that fewer children need intensive care also means that the pressure on those wards is reduced, which is positive, says Maria State.
