× Test Guide Collection Guides Guidelines News Contact Useful Links

Archive: 2021

Respiratory Virus Testing

Updated 9 Dec 2022

RSV is still present in low numbers, mostly in young children. 

Influenza is not circulating, but we are seeing occasional cases come in with travellers from the Northern Hemisphere.

New cases of COVID-19 are still occuring.  Inpatient COVID numbers are steady at about 20 most days. We try to identify the majority of cases as they come in, many of whom have COVID contributing to their overall condition. 

Emergency Department patients with respiratory illness are now only routinely being tested for SARS-Cov-2, but under 5 year olds are also screened for RSV.  Asymptomatic patients admitted from ED are all being screened for SARS-CoV-2 by a loop mediated amplification (LAMP) test, which compares well with PCR and is sensitive enough to detect historical cases from 2 or 3 months ago.  RSV, Influenza and Adenovirus testing are available for any patient, on request.

Respiratory swabs received from the community (GPs) are tested for either SARS-CoV-2 alone or other viruses, as requested.

 

Dr Chris Mansell

Clinical Microbiologist

 

 

Latest laboratory specimen collection information can be found here

Waikato Respiratory Virus Report 2021 Week 39

05 10 2021

 Initial COVID outbreak figures shown.   RSV undead.   Waikato Respiratory Virus Report 2012 10 05

Read More

Waikato Respiratory Virus Report 2021 Week 37

21 09 2021

Four cases of COVID-19 have been found in the Upper Hauraki community, acquired directly from a case who had travelled from Auckland.

Read More

Waikato Respiratory Virus Report 2021 Week 36

14 09 2021

Rhinovirus and Parainfluenzavirus 3 are still circulating despite recent Level 4 and 3 lockdowns.   Waikato Respiratory Virus Report 2021 09 14      

Read More

Waikato Respiratory Virus Report 2021 week 34

03 09 2021

We still have no COVID and RSV continues to decline. This report includes information on the timing of past years' influenza seasons.

Read More

Waikato Respiratory Virus Report 2021 Week 33

24 08 2021

Having tested 13933 samples, we can have high confidence that SARS-CoV-2 is not circulating in the Waikato or Coromandel.

Read More