New report reveals children and elderly bear the brunt of respiratory disease as hospitalisations rise

New Zealand's youngest and oldest account for more than two thirds of respiratory hospitalisations, a new report shows, as admission rates for lung disease climb 16% in three years.

The 'The impact of respiratory disease in New Zealand: 2025 update' report – commissioned by the Cardiac and Respiratory Foundation NZ and prepared by University of Otago – reveals the number of respiratory hospitalisations climbed from 80,230 in 2022 to 97,151 in 2025 (a 16% increase when adjusted for population). Children under 15 and adults over 65 account for about 70% of all admissions.

For the first time, the report also includes thoracic (lung) cancer, revealing it caused nearly 2000 deaths in 2022 alone, with Māori dying at nearly three times the rate of other New Zealanders.

Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says the findings show we still have a lot to do to protect our most vulnerable populations.

“The biggest take-home message for us is this: children and older adults are bearing the brunt of respiratory disease in New Zealand, so the Government needs to act now.

“For children, RSV is the single most common cause of bronchiolitis and viral pneumonia - and is a huge driver of hospitalisation - so the next Government needs to commit to funding the RSV vaccine from April 2027 if these statistics are to change.”

Key findings from the report include:

• A sharp surge in admissions: Total respiratory hospitalisations rose from 80,230 in 2022 to 97,151 in 2025 – up 16% (population-adjusted) in three years.
• Entrenched ethnic inequities: Pacific peoples were hospitalised at 2.4 times the rate, and Māori at nearly twice the rate, than other New Zealand ethnicities – largely unchanged since the last report despite years of attention.
• Bronchiectasis – a hidden crisis for Pacific communities: Pacific peoples are hospitalised for bronchiectasis at more than 7 times the rate of other New Zealanders, and die from it at more than 5 times the rate.
• Outlook on lung cancer: Newly included in this report, thoracic (lung) cancer caused 3,477 hospitalisations in 2025 and 1,912 deaths in 2022, with Māori dying at 2.75 times the rate, and Pacific peoples at 1.52 times the rate, of other New Zealanders.
• The financial burden: Respiratory disease now costs the New Zealand economy about $11.5 billion – an increase of $3 billion on the three years prior.

Foundation Respiratory Medical Director Professor Bob Hancox says the report findings show increases in hospital admissions and deaths since the COVID pandemic.

“Many of these could be prevented if we stopped the spread of respiratory viruses like we did during the pandemic.

“Unfortunately the viruses are back in circulation and respiratory hospitalisations and mortality rising again.”

Prevention is possible, but we are falling short of what is needed, Professor Hancox says.

“The good news is that we can reduce the spread of the worst of these viruses through vaccination and avoiding contact with people who are unwell.

“The bad news is that we are not doing this effectively,” he says.

“We need to invest in influenza and RSV vaccination for the young, the old, and the vulnerable.”

The Foundation is calling on the Government to invest in educational resources and programmes for Māori and Pacific communities; fully enforce Healthy Homes Standards through independent accredited assessments; ensure all schools are ‘asthma ready’; strengthen protection through vaccination by funding the RSV vaccine (nirsevimab) from April 2027 for all babies and infants as well as continuing to offer the free flu vaccine for under 5s; set a new national target of a Nicotine-Free Aotearoa; and fund a targeted national lung cancer screening programme from Budget 2027.