Babies in Western Australia will be the first in the nation to receive the world’s first all-infant immunisation against the potentially deadly RSV infection.

The roll out will begin in April for babies under eight months old, and from May it will be available at birthing hospitals for newborns, ahead of the winter months.

Babies aged between eight and 19 months who have serious medial conditions will also be eligible, if their doctor recommends RSV protective antibodies.

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a highly contagious and sometimes series respiratory virus that usually sees a spike in winter. Although most cases are mild, it can lead to more serious lung infections including bronchiolitis or pneumonia in children.

“RSV is the number one illness that could put your baby in hospital this winter. It’s an insidious disease, and little ones are the worst affected,” WA Premier Roger Cook said.

“We’ll be the first State in the country to offer this immunisation, which works immediately to protect against serious illness and hospitalisation.”

The Immunisation Foundation of Australia has welcomed the rollout, saying it will keep hundreds of babies out of hospital. The organisation is calling for other Australian states to follow suit.

“The rollout of Beyfortus in WA this year will provide learnings for other states and the Commonwealth on how to design and deliver a large-scale immunisation program to protect all infants against RSV. This must be a national health priority,” said Catherine Hughes AM, Founder and Director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia.

RSV is the number one cause of hospitalisation of Australian children under five-years-old, leading to an average of 12,000 Australian infant hospitalisations each year.