Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) due to Influenza in Post-COVID Resurgence: Disproportionate Impact on Older Māori and Pacific Peoples

Abstract

Objective

Influenza reemerged after a 2020–2021 hiatus in 2022, but understanding the resurgence needs pre-COVID era surveillance. We compared age- and ethnicity-specific incidence of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) from a hospital network in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2022 against a baseline, 2012–2019.

Methods

Annual and monthly influenza SARI incidence per 1000 persons by age and ethnic group between 2012 and 2022 was calculated using resident population as the denominator. The hospitals capture most severe illness of the resident population.

Results

Influenza SARI incidence was highest among <1 year olds (2.62; 95% CI: 1.84–3.61) during 2012–2019, lowest at 6–14 years, and did not significantly increase until 50–64 years (0.35; 95% CI: 0.27–0.45), reaching 1.19 (95% CI: 0.57–1.55) in those ≥75 years. In all age groups, incidence was at least threefold higher in Māori and Pacific Peoples. No influenza SARI was identified in 2020–2021. In 2022, despite an early peak, annual incidence (<65 years) was lower than baseline in all ethnic groups, but incidence (≥65 years) in Māori (2.06; 95% CI: 1.22–3.26) and Pacific (3.94; 95% CI: 2.97–5.13) peoples was higher in 2022 than most baseline years, whereas incidence in NMNP (0.22; 95% CI: 0.14–0.32) was lower than any baseline year.

Conclusion

After no influenza 2020–2021, Auckland had an early, high, narrow peak in 2022. Stratification by age and ethnicity revealed striking discrepancies in incidence among Māori and Pacific adults over 65 years compared with NMNP adults, with implications for targeted vaccination strategies.