OBJECTIVE: To describe and explore the relationship between weather and the unusual 2020 bronchiolitis season in Western Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Correlation of meteorological data and presentations of infants with bronchiolitis through the Emergency Department of Perth Children's Hospital. RESULTS: The 2020 bronchiolitis epidemic showed a reversal of the usual seasonal pattern. There were no weather events to account for this phenomenon. CONCLUSIONS: The bronchiolitis outbreak showed no relationship to local weather patterns. State-mandated COVID-19 public health measures appear the likely rationale. Our experience may be a warning to Northern hemisphere EDs moving into spring/summer of 2021. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Unusual 2020 RSV bronchiolitis season in Western Australia: Not explained by weather