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PHF Science (formerly ESR) is a New Zealand Government-owned research organisation focused on improving community health, wellbeing, and safety.
🦠 Why does everyone seem to have a cough, cold or sore throat right now?
Dr Hannah Cooper, Public Health Physician at PHF Science, explains what the latest surveillance data is telling us about respiratory illnesses in Aotearoa New Zealand.
🔼 Reports of influenza-like illness have risen in recent weeks.
🔽 Healthline call rates remain lower than is typical for this time of year.
🔼 Metapneumovirus is currently the most commonly detected virus in general practice testing.
🔼 Hospital admissions for respiratory illness in Auckland have increased, driven by rhinovirus, RSV and metapneumovirus.
🔽 Influenza activity remains low, although we expect flu season to pick up as winter continues.
🔽 COVID-19 activity remains low.
Remember: if you're feeling unwell, stay home, look after yourself, and help reduce the spread of illness in your community.
📅 This update is based on surveillance data collected up to 2 July 2026.
Under the Weather Report is a series dedicated to breaking down the latest updates on the winter respiratory illnesses in Aotearoa New Zealand collected by PHF Science.
More information can be found on the Respiratory Illness Dashboard:
🔗 phfscience.nz/digital-library/respiratory-illness-dashboard/
Health advice can be found at:
🔗 healthnz.govt.nz
08/07/2026
We know that great outcomes rarely happen by chance - they're the result of process, perseverance, and trust in work that isn't always visible until the results are in. Our Desktop Support Engineer Greg Nicolas, based at our Kenepuru Science Centre, has just given us a powerful reminder of exactly that - on the bowling lanes!
Just five months after undergoing quadruple bypass surgery, Greg returned to competitive tenpin bowling and won the 2026 New Zealand Men's Masters Championship, along with the Overall New Zealand Champion title - bringing the National Champion Shield home to Wellington.
It's a remarkable turnaround. Late last year, Greg had been selected to represent New Zealand at the World Championships in Reno, Nevada, but withdrew to prioritise his recovery and rehabilitation. A former NZ representative with a track record of National and All-Star titles, and several perfect games of 300 (12 strikes in a row) to his name, Greg had every reason to be cautious about when, and whether, to return to the sport.
Instead, he came back swinging - 4 gold and 2 silver medals, won against some of the best bowlers New Zealand and Australia have to offer, before taking out those two major titles.
It's the same discipline and patience we see in the science we do every day, applied on the lanes instead of in the lab. Congratulations, Greg, on your outstanding achievements! 🎳🏆
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