Not just a common cold: Singapore studies show RSV’s severity and impact on long-term health

In studies led by Singapore General Hospital, researchers collaborating under the Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness And REsponse found that the illness could be of comparable severity to other more well-known respiratory viral infections

SingHealth

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Singapore, 5 November 2025 – Often confused for a common cold, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can in fact be serious and should be studied more closely. In studies led by Singapore General Hospital (SGH), researchers collaborating under the Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness And REsponse (PREPARE)[1] found that the illness could be of comparable severity to other more well-known respiratory viral infections (RVIs) – such as influenza and COVID-19.

In three large-cohort studies, the researchers looked at the severity of RSV, risk of cardiac complications, and long-term complications in patients who had RSV infections severe enough to require hospitalisation, versus influenza and COVID-19 hospitalisations. Throughout all three studies, it was found that RSV was of comparable severity to influenza and COVID-19.

Dr Ian Wee, Consultant, Department of Infectious Diseases, SGH and Deputy Lead, Databases Core, PREPARE, and first author for all three papers, said, “With about five to ten per cent of those experiencing flu-like symptoms having respiratory syncytial virus, it may not be as common compared to influenza or COVID-19, and more research about the illness is needed. However, this does not make the infection any less serious than other RVIs, especially in Singapore’s tropical climate where year-round transmission of RSV occurs.”

Key findings

Disease severity

Published in The Lancet Regional Health, the first study examined close to 13,000 adult hospitalisations for RSV, COVID-19 and influenza, and compared risk of 28-day mortality and intensive-care-unit admission, which are indicators of severity. Among patients hospitalised for RSV, about one in 20 died within 28 days of hospital admission. Overall, hospitalisations due to RSV were more severe than influenza, with higher death rates and more intensive care admissions. RSV was of comparable severity to COVID-19 hospitalisation in individuals previously boosted against COVID-19; the study pre-dated the availability of RSV vaccination in Singapore.

Risk of cardiac complications

The second study, published in JAMA Network Open, compared the risk of acute cardiac complications – defined as any cardiac, cerebrovascular or thrombotic event, such as abnormal or irregular heartbeat, heart failure, stroke, deep venous thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism. Assessing almost 33,000 adult hospitalisations for RSV, COVID-19 and influenza, slightly more than one in ten RSV hospitalisations had an acute cardiovascular event. These odds were significantly higher than patients hospitalised for COVID-19, as well as for patients with vaccine-breakthrough[2] influenza hospitalisations. 

Long-term complications

The third study looked at long-term complications following RSV infection in adults and children. Published in Clinical Microbiology and Infection, it studied about 83,000 adults hospitalised due to RVI. In adults hospitalised for RSV, increased risk of long-term cardiovascular and neurological complications was observed up to 300 days post-hospitalisation. This study also assessed paediatric RVI hospitalisations among 24,340 patients aged 0 to 17 and found that there was higher risk of post-acute respiratory complications such as wheeze/bronchitis following RSV hospitalisation, versus COVID-19/influenza. 

Understanding RVIs and RSV

RVIs are infections caused by viruses that affect the respiratory system, from the nose and throat to the airways and lungs. Beyond RSV, influenza, and COVID-19, other viruses can also cause respiratory infections. Common symptoms of RVIs include cough, sore throat and nasal congestion; while mild and self-resolving in most instances, progression to more severe illness (e.g. pneumonia or respiratory failure) can occur, particularly amongst at-risk groups. 

RSV is a respiratory virus that causes characteristic flu-like symptoms, including runny nose and sore throat. Like other respiratory viruses, it spreads through close contact, exposure to respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, or contaminated objects and surfaces. Most individuals experience only mild symptoms; however, young children, older adults, those who are immunocompromised or have existing respiratory or cardiac conditions are at higher risk of severe RSV.

Dr Wee added, “One common point across the three studies was that young children and elderly patients face the greatest risk of short-term and long-term complications following respiratory viral infections, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions. RSV can have a significant impact on one’s health, and at-risk individuals should remain vigilant and discuss RSV protection with their healthcare providers. The public should also protect against all RVIs by maintaining good personal hygiene, such as practising hand hygiene, staying home if feeling unwell, and wearing a mask if needing to leave home when symptomatic.”

Full details of the three studies are available here:

Wee LE, Lim JT, Ho RWL, et al. Severity of respiratory syncytial virus versus SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and influenza infection amongst hospitalized Singaporean adults: a national cohort study. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2025;55:101494. Published 2025 Feb 20. doi:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101494

Wee LE, Lim JT, Ho RWL, Chiew CJ, Lye DCB, Tan KB. Cardiac Events in Adults Hospitalized for Respiratory Syncytial Virus vs COVID-19 or Influenza. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(5):e2511764. Published 2025 May 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.11764

Wee LE, Ho RWL, Lim JT, et al. Long-term sequelae post-hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus vs. Omicron SARS-CoV-2 or influenza in adults and children: a retrospective cohort study. Clin Microbiol Infect. Published online April 26, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2025.04.022

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Candice Lee                                                                              

Communications Department                                              

Singapore General Hospital                                                                                                           

Email: Candice.lee.l.f@sgh.com.sg                                      

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About Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

Singapore General Hospital, established in 1821, is the largest tertiary hospital in Singapore and ranked among the world’s best. It provides the most comprehensive patient-centred care with over 50 clinical specialties on its campus. As an Academic Medical Centre, it takes pride in training healthcare professionals and conducting cutting edge research to meet evolving needs of the nation as well as the region. Driven by a strong sense of purpose, SGH is committed to give of its best to heal and bring hope, as it has for over 200 years.

For more information, please visit www.sgh.com.sg

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[1] PREPARE is a national programme set up by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to support and strengthen Singapore’s key essential research capabilities, translational platforms, and expertise to develop tools, methods and products that can be tapped on to detect, respond to, and contain future infectious disease threats. PREPARE is a national programme under the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), and is supported by the Singapore Ministry of Health through the NMRC Office, MOH Holdings Pte Ltd under the National Epidemic Preparedness and Response R&D Programme Funding Initiative (MOH-001041/MOH-001073/MOH-001446).

[2] A vaccine-breakthrough is when a patient gets infected with the disease even though they have been vaccinated against it. This could be due to different factors, such as mutating virus strains or waning immunity.

 

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Journal

Clinical Microbiology and Infection

DOI

10.1016/j.cmi.2025.04.022 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Long-term sequelae post-hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus vs. Omicron SARS-CoV-2 or influenza in adults and children: a retrospective cohort study

 

APA poll reveals a nation suffering from stress of societal division, loneliness

Most U.S. adults report feeling isolated, in need of more emotional support

American Psychological Association

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Loneliness and emotional disconnection appear to have become a defining feature of life in America, as a majority of U.S. adults say societal division is a significant source of stress in their lives, according to the latest Stress in America™ survey released today by the American Psychological Association.

More than six in 10 U.S. adults reported feeling this way, while half or more adults said they felt isolated (54%), left out (50%) or lacking companionship (50%) often or some of the time.  

The survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of APA, found that among more than 3,000 U.S. adults, nearly seven in 10 (69%) said they needed more emotional support in the past year than they received — an increase from 65% in 2024. This growing gap between emotional needs and available support highlighted a critical challenge: Even as adults recognize their need for connection, many are struggling to find it.

“This year’s findings show that people across the nation are not just feeling divided, they’re feeling disconnected,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., Ph.D., CEO of APA. “Research tells us that a sense of isolation and social fragmentation can have real consequences for our ability to manage stress and stay healthy.”

The survey found that societal division may have intensified feelings of loneliness and it could have a measurable impact on health and well-being. Among adults who said societal division was a significant source of stress, 61% reported feeling isolated, compared with 54% of all adults and just 43% of those who did not cite division as a major stressor.

The data paints a troubling picture of U.S. adults stretched thin between societal division and personal disconnection. Adults who cited societal division as a significant source of stress were more likely to lose patience with family members (60% vs. 49% of those not significantly stressed by division), cancel plans (55% vs. 37%) and struggle to plan for the future (53% vs. 37%) due to stress.

Survey data also revealed that those who experience high levels of loneliness were more likely to also be struggling with their physical and mental well-being than those with low loneliness levels. The most common symptoms included feeling depressed or sad (65% vs. 15%), feeling nervous or anxious (60% vs. 24%), fatigue (53% vs. 24%) and headaches (48% vs. 25%).

“Psychological research shows us that loneliness and isolation may increase the risk of premature mortality and are also linked with depression, poor sleep and cognitive decline. We also know that social support is one of the strongest predictors of people’s well-being, reinforcing that connection is vital to our health. Reaching out, showing up and building community are not optional, they’re essential,” Evans said.

Concerns about the future of the country also weighed heavily on the minds of many respondents. Three-quarters of adults (75%) reported they are more stressed about the country’s future than they used to be. When asked what America represents today, respondents most commonly chose terms that reflected a mix of hope and disillusionment: freedom (41%), corruption (38%), opportunity (37%), division (36%), hope (35%) and fear (32%). 

This year’s survey also showed many are evaluating what gives their lives meaning and purpose. An overwhelming 92% of adults recognized relationships as a key source of meaning in their lives. Family emerged as the most commonly selected source of meaning (77%), followed by friendships (62%), romantic relationships (47%) and pets (39%). Further, goals like financial stability/security (64%), maintaining or improving health (60%) and spending time with family/friends (53%) topped the list of future dreams. 

Ultimately, a strong majority of adults remain hopeful about their ability to build a fulfilling life; 84% said they believe they can still create a good life, even if it looks different from past generations.

“People may be reevaluating what gives their lives meaning, but they haven’t given up on finding that purpose,” said Evans. “Even as many feel disillusioned, they’re focusing on what they can control — nurturing their relationships, building financial stability and improving their health. That mix of hope and concern captures where America is today: Anxious, yes, but still striving for fulfillment.”

More information about the risks of isolation and the benefits of relationships is available at apa.org.

METHODOLOGY

The 2025 Stress in America™ survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association (APA) between Aug. 4 – 24, 2025, among 3,199 adults age 18+ who reside in the U.S., which serves as a nationally representative sample. In addition to the national sample, oversamples were collected to allow for subgroup analysis by race/ethnicity. Sample sizes across the oversamples were as follows: 800 Black, 809 Latino/a/e and 800 Asian. The total sample also included 81 individuals who identified as only Native American or Alaskan Native/Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, which falls below the standard threshold for reporting (n ≥ 100). For Latino/a/e respondents, interviews were conducted in English or Spanish.

This survey included data quantifying loneliness using the UCLA Three-Item Loneliness Scale.

A full methodology is available.

 SPACE/COSMOS

Student-built satellite will blast into space, collects data for NASA’s IMAP mission

CubeSat designed and built by undergraduates will study space weather

University of New Hampshire

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DURHAM, N.H.—(November 6, 2025)—A multidisciplinary team of undergraduate students from three different universities has designed and built a mini satellite, known as a CubeSat, that will launch into space to gather data in collaboration with NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission. The small-but-mighty satellite is set to launch on a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California no earlier than Nov. 10, 2025 at 10:19 a.m. PST. It will head to the outer reaches of the atmosphere to study the solar wind which will help scientists in their quest to improve space weather forecasting and better protect technology in space and on Earth— such as communication networks, power grids and GPS —from potentially damaging large solar flare events.

“This is an amazing opportunity for students to not only get hands-on technical experience but to also collaborate with other undergraduates across the country to design and build an entire space mission from the instrument to the software that will operate it in space and the antenna and radio to command the satellite once in space,” said Noé Lugaz, research professor in physics and astronomy at the University of New Hampshire. “The experience is invaluable and can open doors to future opportunities in space-related or other science and engineering careers.”

The team of 70 undergraduate students from the University of New Hampshire (UNH), Sonoma State University (SSU) and Howard University (HU) designed, developed and built the satellite which was named 3UCubed—reflecting the overall concept of uplifting undergraduate students to study upwelling, and giving a nod to the three participating universities.

Launched following its selection as part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, the satellite will travel to the Earth’s upper atmosphere, known as thermosphere, which is the same region where many other satellites and the International Space Station orbit around Earth. It will take measurements of the atmosphere density (single oxygen at this altitude) and electron precipitation from space onto the upper atmosphere. Data from the mission will be collected by the students and analyzed in combination with data from IMAP and will help advance the understanding of how the thermosphere in the auroral and cusp regions responds to particle precipitation and varying conditions associated with solar wind.

CubeSats are a specific subset of satellites that are small and standardized and provide a cost-effective way to study space science. It is about the size of a loaf of bread and offers a simpler way to start building and operating than larger satellites, making it an ideal piece of equipment for students to hone their skills outside of the classroom.

The students worked for five years on the satellite, performing a variety of tasks ranging from creating the software code that controls the 3UCubed to soldering the wires during the physical build. Students with mentorship from professors and staff engineers, performed trade studies, orbit analyses, selected vendors for different subsystems, oversaw budgets for various mass, power, link and telemetry jobs and developed the framework for the flight software and operations.

“At the time, I had a keen interest for the aerospace industry and saw this as a great opportunity to get valuable experience working with industry professionals,” said Alex Chesley ’22, who studied mechanical engineering at UNH and was a part of the 3UCubed team. “It was fascinating to learn about so many new subjects about space science and instrumentation that I had never studied before.”

The hands-on experience is meant to introduce, inspire and prepare students for a successful career in a related field like space science, computer science, engineering or science education. Chesley designed the initial CAD model of the satellite and also helped create the detailed specification list for the CubeSat’s altitude control system. He now works as a configuration engineer at STS Aerospace in Laconia, N.H., where he helps develop fluid distribution systems for customers in the space, aeronautics and defense industries.

The 3UCubed satellite was fully assembled at UNH and the two payload instruments that are a part of its structure were built, tested and calibrated at UNH. Students from UNH took the lead in developing the instrument software and worked with students from SSU on the flight software. SSU oversaw the development of the software for the ground station and will serve as the primary ground station for the mission, which will collect the data from the satellite and will send commands to the spacecraft so it can adjust once it is in orbit. UNH worked with HU to build the back up ground station.

“The SSU CubeSat Project had a profound impact on my personal and professional growth,” said Haley Joerger ’24, who studied computer science at SSU. “The mentorship I received was instrumental in building my confidence and guiding my development. Working on the CubeSat hardware provided me with valuable experience in instrumentation, a skill that I now apply in my role as an application engineer at Keysight Technologies. I am also deeply grateful for the lifelong friendships I formed with my teammates—connections that continue to enrich my life to this day.”

Students from Sonoma State University have also engaged with their region’s amateur radio operators and Scout members to construct a ground station for them to communicate with the satellite.

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The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation and world. More than 15,000 students from 50 states and 87 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. A Carnegie Classification R1 institution, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF, and NIH, and received over $250 million in competitive external funding in FY24 to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea and space.

PHOTOS FOR DOWNLOAD

Link: https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/sites/default/files/3ucubed_rendering_in_space.jpg

Caption: Rendering of CubeSat orbiting Earth.

Photo credit: UNH

 

Link: https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/sites/default/files/3ucubedteam_credit_nasa_3ucubed.jpeg

Caption: Some of the 3UCubed mission team—including students, faculty and staff from the University of New Hampshire, Sonoma State University and Howard University—presenting at the American Geophysical Union annual meeting.

Photo credit: NASA 3UCubed

 

Link: https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/sites/default/files/20250725_165604780_ios_copy.jpg

Caption: Anthony Santo ’25, who majored in Computer Science at UNH, tested software for the 3UCubed mission’s CubeSat. He wrote code for the Instrument’s data collection and ground station operations. 

Photo credit: UNH

 

Link: https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/sites/default/files/img_2164.jpeg

Caption: Sanjeev Mehta, a UNH research project engineer for the 3UCubed mission, inspects the CubeSat during the integration at Maverick Space Systems lab in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Photo credit: UNH

 

Austrian satellite mission PRETTY continues under the leadership of Graz University of Technology

The Austrian Space Agency and the European Space Agency (ESA) have approved the mission's continuation. In future, the CubeSat PRETTY will operate as part of the OPS-SAT Space Lab. The project management will be transferred to TU Graz.

Graz University of Technology

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image: 

OPS-SAT PRETTY in the clean room at TU Graz before its launch in 2023.

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Credit: Lunghammer - TU Graz

For over two years, the Austrian mini-satellite PRETTY has orbited the Earth at an altitude of just over 500 kilometres in a sun-synchronous polar orbit. Following the commissioning phase at the end of 2023, it provided continuous data on changes in polar ice and sea levels, as well as the effects of space weather on a satellite’s lifespan. Although the mission was originally planned to last one year, it is now certain that the mission of the satellite (jointly developed by TU Graz, Beyond Gravity Austria, and Seibersdorf Laboratories) will continue in a new form under the name OPS-SAT PRETTY. This has been confirmed by the Austrian Space Agency (ALR) of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the European Space Agency (ESA). “The PRETTY mission has been highly successful so far, which is why we at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), and ESA have agreed to extend the mission until December 2026, providing the necessary budget funds totalling 365,000 euros,” says FFG Managing Director Karin Tausz. As part of the extension, project management will transfer from Beyond Gravity, Austria's largest aerospace supplier, to Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), which operates the PRETTY ground station at Campus Inffeldgasse.

The new task is to act as a flying laboratory

In future, the satellite renamed to OPS-SAT PRETTY will function as an experimental platform as part of the OPS-SAT Space Lab (https://opssat.esa.int/). This was already the case for OPS-SAT, also built at TU Graz. After a successful four-and-a-half-year mission, OPS-SAT burnt up on entering the Earth's atmosphere in May 2024. It successfully demonstrated the advantages of such experimental platforms for ESA. These platforms enable organisations, companies, and private individuals to conduct software and firmware experiments during active operations, which would not be possible with other missions. OPS-SAT PRETTY is also equipped with various subsystems, offering Austrian and international parties interested in space research a flexible, freely configurable platform for their ideas and experiments. 

“Although the original PRETTY mission was designed to last just one year, we are delighted that our satellite can now continue to provide valuable services,” says Project Manager Manuela Wenger from the Institute of Communication Networks and Satellite Communications at TU Graz. “Of course, we are also quite proud of the fact that PRETTY has proven to be very reliable after OPS-SAT and TUGSAT-1, the first Austrian satellite in space, which we also built at TU Graz.” Manuela Wenger is joined in the project team at TU Graz by Andreas Hörmer and Maximilian Henkel.

Scientific data from PRETTY is sent from Graz to the rest of the world

PRETTY has mastered its original scientific mission with flying colours. “We tested a brand new technology in space for the first time and proved that important climate data can be obtained with a mini-satellite the size of a shoebox, which would otherwise require a much larger and more expensive satellite,” says Andreas Dielacher, the responsible systems engineer at Beyond Gravity. “We have developed important expertise in the payload area, the centrepiece of a satellite.” This new technology is a passive reflectometer developed by Beyond Gravity, which measures signals reflected by ice, water, and land masses from European and American navigation satellites. Climate scientists can use this information to draw conclusions about environmental data. Andreas Dielacher continues: “The data from our reflectometer was sent directly to us from the ground station at TU Graz and then passed on to the scientists.” TU Graz developed the necessary hardware platform on the satellite. 

Also on board of PRETTY is the SATDOS dosimeter, which was developed by Seibersdorf Laboratories and measures exposure to space radiation and its effects on the satellite's electronic components. “Thanks to SATDOS, we were able to collect detailed radiation data directly from PRETTY's orbit for the first time,” explains Christoph Tscherne, radiation resistance expert and project manager at Seibersdorf Laboratories. “Our results show that radiation exposure in space can have a significant impact on satellite electronics. Commercially available standard components, which are increasingly being used in spaceflight, are particularly vulnerable.”

Information on OPS-SAT PRETTY on the ESA website:
https://opssat.esa.int/pretty/

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Method of Research

News article

OPS-SAT PRETTY in the clean room at TU Graz before its launch in 2023.

 

Project Manager Manuela Wenger from the Institute of Communication Networks and Satellite Communications at TU Graz.

Credit

Lunghammer - TU Graz