Chelsea DanielsThe Front Page podcast host·NZ Herald·21 Aug, 2026 05:00 AM4 mins to read‌Professor Michael Baker joins The Front Page to break down what’s driving this surge and what all of us can do to stay well and keep pressure off the health system.Severe respiratory illness rates are now the highest they’ve been in the past decade, mostly because of the flu.It comes as ambulance services struggle to meet demand, and Health NZ urges people to save emergency departments for emergencies.

RNZ reported this week that hospitals have