Respiratory virus test positivity reached 49.5% in Chile during epidemiological week 31, spanning August 2 to August 8, according to data released by the Ministry of Health (Minsal). Head of Epidemiology Jorge Vilches and Winter Campaign Coordinator Valentina Pino reported that the figure marks an increase from the 47% positivity recorded during the previous week, driven primarily by rising circulations of rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Rhinovirus and RSV Drive Increasing Positivity Rates
Rhinovirus emerged as the predominant circulating pathogen during week 31, accounting for 29.8% of all detected cases, according to Minsal data. This proportion represents an increase from the 24.5% recorded the prior week, with infections heavily concentrating in children aged 1 to 4 years. Respiratory Syncytial Virus followed as the second most prevalent agent, comprising 27.9% of detected cases compared to 24.1% the week before. Influenza B ranked third at 15.3%, showing a slight decrease from 17.5% during epidemiological week 30. Additional detections included metapneumovirus at 8.5%, influenza A at 8.2%, adenovirus at 4.5%, parainfluenza at 3.6%, other respiratory viruses at 1.8%, and SARS-CoV-2 at 0.4%.
Hospital Pressures and Pediatric Emergency Surges
The integrated healthcare network faced heightened demand as pediatric respiratory hospitalizations reached their highest level of the 2026 winter campaign, according to Valentina Pino. By August 12, 2026, respiratory pathologies accounted for 38.8% of all hospitalized pediatric cases. Emergency department visits for acute lower respiratory infections climbed 8.7% nationally compared to the preceding week. This increase centered sharply on younger demographics, including a 15.1% rise among infants under one year old, a 39.8% jump in children aged 1 to 4, and a 21.6% increase in the 5-to-14 age group. Conversely, emergency visits among individuals aged 15 and older declined.
Overall hospitalizations for respiratory causes grew by 11.4% relative to the prior week. Pediatric admissions drove this trend, surging 31% for infants under one year, 46% for children aged 1 to 4, and 32% for those aged 5 to 14. Adult hospitalizations for patients aged 15 to 64 experienced a minor increase of 6.8%, while admissions for adults aged 65 and older decreased compared to the previous week.
Vaccination Coverage and Ongoing Prevention Efforts
Minsal reported that national influenza vaccination coverage reached 78.6%, led by healthcare workers with a compliance rate exceeding 95%. However, higher-risk cohorts continue to register slower uptake: children aged 6 months to 5 years stand at 64.2%, pregnant individuals at 74.8%, and adults aged 60 and older at 62.4%. Jorge Vilches emphasized that vaccination remains effective for mitigating severe illness during the current winter season and guarding against potential spring influenza rebounds. Meanwhile, immunization against RSV achieved a 97.4% coverage rate with 125,603 total doses administered, divided between 98.5% for newborns and 96.3% for older infants.