Respiratory viruses continue to plague the Dominican population.

Santo Domingo— The circulation of respiratory viruses continues to reach significant levels in the country, and according to the epidemiological bulletin 49 issued yesterday by the Ministry of Public Health, in 2025, viral activity increased steadily, and the co-circulation of influenza A and B, SARS-CoV-2, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and metapneumovirus is becoming more persistent.

The report details that this indicates a higher risk of co-infections, respiratory exacerbations, and greater pressure on healthcare services.

It highlights that this dynamic reflects what PAHO/WHO has reported across the hemisphere: recent respiratory seasons have been more intense, irregular, and prolonged.

In the country, the behavior of Respiratory Syncytial Virus ( RSV ) constitutes the most outstanding epidemiological signal of 2025, the epidemiological report indicates.

It is noteworthy that from epidemiological week 38, the one recorded before this report, a pronounced increase is observed, reaching peaks between weeks 40–45 that far exceed the values ​​of 2024.

They are also generating, he adds, a considerable burden of bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and hospitalizations in infants, a highly susceptible group after previous seasons of low exposure.

Public Health highlights that climatic conditions, frequent rains, high humidity, and temperature changes have contributed to boosting transmission, replicating patterns also observed in the US, Canada, Brazil, and Chile, where RSV has shown earlier and larger peaks.

He explains that this scenario has increased demand for emergency care, pediatric hospitalization, and intensive care units, where slight variations in the respiratory virus curve translate into significant healthcare pressures.

The complexity generated by viral co-circulation and the prominence of RSV requires a careful reading of trends, especially in vulnerable populations and territories with greater hospital activity, as highlighted in epidemiological report 49, which includes notifications up to the 6th of this month.

It highlights that respiratory virus surveillance in 2024 showed moderate and predictable respiratory behavior, with clearly defined peaks of influenza A ( H3N2 ) and B/Victoria and limited circulation of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and other viruses, consistent with the post-pandemic pattern observed in the region. virological surveillance

The Ministry of Public Health states that it has strengthened virological surveillance by expanding sampling and intensifying immediate notification via SINAVE.

In addition, he indicates that daily monitoring of bed occupancy has increased, along with the activation of rapid referral routes for seriously ill pediatric patients and the ensuring of the availability of critical supplies.

It adds that, in parallel, influenza vaccination is being promoted in at-risk groups, and community interventions focused on respiratory hygiene, reducing overcrowding, and early consultation are being promoted. However, it points out that structural challenges persist, such as limited availability of Intensive Care Units, including neonatal units (NICU/ICU),, and gaps in territorial access.

It points out that this scenario reaffirms the need for sustained, intersectoral strategies to contain morbidity during a more active, prolonged respiratory season.