Over the past few months, about three-quarters of infants in the Netherlands have had an injection against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). As a result, there have been significantly fewer babies admitted to children’s intensive care units (ICU). In the 2024-2025 season, a total of 178 infants had been admitted to ICU due to RSV infections by the start of February. In this season, there have been 43 infant ICU admissions for RSV so far. Since September 2025, an injection against RSV has been included in the National Immunisation Programme.

Many new houses need to be built in the coming years, while space is scarce. As a result, there are plans to build houses in areas exposed to high levels of noise from multiple sources, such as around Schiphol Airport. Long-term exposure to high noise levels can lead to sleep disturbance, annoyance, and other adverse health effects.

The rise of electric cycling has health benefits for people and the environment. Such benefits occur, for example, when the electric bicycle replaces short trips by car. There are also disadvantages though, especially for young people. Electric bicycles may cause them to become less physically active.

In the first nine months of 2025, the Dutch Reporting Centre for Adverse Effects of Medical Implants (MEBI) received 30 reports of problems with the removal of the Ballerine copper IUD (IUB™ Ballerine® MIDI) in 26 women.

One third of the drinking water in the Netherlands comes from surface water. More and more new chemicals are found in this water. For 65 of these substances, RIVM has assessed whether they could impact the quality of drinking water.

In 2022, around 430,000 kilos of microplastics were released from clothing and shoes in the Netherlands. For the whole of Europe, the released amount came to more than 10 million kilos. This mainly occurs as a result of wear and tear of clothes and shoes, but also the (first) times clothes are washed. These microplastics pollute the environment and may be harmful to both nature and health.

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are harmful to health, just like ordinary cigarettes. This is the outcome of doctoral research carried out by Michele Davigo (RIVM and Maastricht University).

Although swine influenza viruses have changed in recent years, they have not combined with influenza viruses that affect humans or birds.

The number of people in the Netherlands who have a respiratory infection is increasing. More and more people have symptoms. A significant percentage of these people have the influenza (flu) virus. The annual flu epidemic seems to be starting. Besides the influenza virus, other viruses can also cause respiratory infections.

In the Indian state of West Bengal, two people have contracted Nipah virus disease, which is mainly transmitted by fruit bats. In the Netherlands, the risk of infection with the Nipah virus is negligible. There are no fruit bats here, and no people in this country have the virus. People travelling to West Bengal can reduce the risk of contracting the virus by following the recommendations shown below.