Newsman: An unseasonably early spike in respiratory syncytial virus cases among young children is pushing some hospitals to capacity. Hospitals in 33 states are seeing a dramatic rise in children suffering from the respiratory virus called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Cases have more than doubled in 25 states, putting a strain on hospitals — with some facilities so overwhelmed, they’re running out of beds.
RSV, as it’s called, is a respiratory virus that mostly manifests as a mild illness with cold-like symptoms in adults but can cause pneumonia and bronchiolitis in very young children. It can be life-threatening in infants and young adults.
The CDC does not track hospitalizations or deaths for RSV like it does for flu, but it said Thursday there has been a rise in RSV cases in many parts of the country. Overall, pediatric hospital beds are more full now than they’ve been in the past two years, according to federal data.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services does not specify the reason for hospitalization, but about three-quarters of pediatric hospital beds available nationwide are being used now. By comparison, pediatric hospital beds were about two-thirds full on an average day over the past two years.
Most kids catch RSV at some point before they turn 2, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, and it’s usually mild. Symptoms may look like a common cold and include runny nose, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing. They typically last a week or two, and clear up with rest and fluids.
But in some children, especially young infants, RSV can be dangerous, leading to dehydration, breathing trouble and more serious illnesses such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
Most years, infections typically occur in the late fall and winter, often overlapping with flu season. But at least since last year, physicians have begun seeing surges starting during summer months.
Children’s hospitals in the Washington, D.C. area, including Children’s National Hospital, Inova Fairfax and Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, are at or near capacity, DCist reported.
Connecticut Children’s Hospital in Hartford has had its pediatric in-patient beds full for the last few weeks, WTNH reported. With no indication of the spread slowing down, officials there are seeking the help of the National Guard and FEMA to set up tents in order to expand capacity.
In Texas, doctors at Cook Children’s hospital in Fort Worth told ABC News they are treating some 300 RSV patients a day.
“Last year, more people were wearing face masks and children were more likely to stay home while sick,” Dr. Laura Romano said in Cook Children’s in-house publication.
“This year, parents are sending their children to daycare and school for the first time following two years of the pandemic. … Children who haven’t been previously exposed to respiratory viruses are getting sick,” Romano said.
Health officials in King County, Wash., are also alarmed as they brace for more cases once winter hits. Dr. Russell Migita with Seattle Children’s Hospital told King 5 News they are seeing about 20 to 30 positive cases every day, adding that those are “unprecedented” figures.
RSV cases can often fill hospitals, even in regular seasons, since there aren’t many treatments and it can require several days of supportive care in severe cases, Edwards said.
Ill children “need that oxygen support, so they can’t be at home,” experts said.
Experts think U.S. cases may be spiking now because of the phase of the COVID-19 pandemic that we’re in.
When everyone stayed home in 2020 and 2021 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it seemed to change the typical RSV season. Case counts were low, and that created an “immunity gap.” Kids who normally would have caught the virus in those years are instead catching it now.
RSV symptoms are similar to a cold, but doctors said parents should watch for signs of respiratory stress, if their child’s nostrils are flaring while breathing, or if their skin is pulling towards their ribs.
Doctors are also expecting an active flu season. They’re asking people to get their flu shots now — while it won’t prevent you from getting the flu, it could make your symptoms mild enough where you wouldn’t need to go to the emergency room.
How RSV shows up
RSV symptoms are similar to a cold and can be harmless in adults, but the CDC says children under the age of 5 are the most affected group. According to the agency’s data, each year approximately 58,000 children in that age range are hospitalized for RSV. The next most vulnerable group are adults over 65, in whom the infection causes 14,000 deaths a year.
RSV can lead to bronchiolitis, an infection that causes airways to become inflamed and clogged with mucus, making it difficult to breathe. If the infection travels to the lung sacs, it can result in pneumonia.
Dr. Sara Goza, physician and former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, talked to NPR last year about how the infection presents in infants.
“A lot of the babies under a year of age will have trouble breathing. They stop eating because they can’t breathe and eat at the same time. And they’re wheezing, so they’re in respiratory distress,” Goza said.
Other symptoms include coughing, excessive sleeping and lethargy.
There is no vaccine to prevent RSV, but doctors are urging patients to get the flu shot. It doesn’t prevent the infection but it could spare people from more aggressive symptoms and keep them from seeking medical attention at already strained hospitals.
Who’s vulnerable to RSV
The CDC says most kids will catch RSV at some point before they turn 2. It’s a highly contagious virus that often doesn’t cause serious illness, except in adults who are elderly or have chronic heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system, and in some infants and children.
There’s no specific treatment for RSV and no vaccine. The symptoms usually last a week or two and clear up with plenty of fluids and rest.
For some kids, though, it can be a much more serious disease. RSV can be especially dangerous for preemies, newborns, children with weakened immune systems or neuromuscular disorders, and those under age 2 with chronic lung and heart conditions, the CDC says.
RSV can turn into bronchiolitis, in which the small airways can become inflamed and congested, or pneumonia. A child may need to stay in the hospital so they can get extra oxygen or even mechanical ventilation to help them breathe.
How RSV spreads
An infected person can pass on RSV through a cough or sneeze. If the respiratory droplets land on a surface like a doorknob or desk and someone else touches it and then touches their face, they can get sick.
It’s generally such a mild illness that adults often don’t realize they have it, or they think it’s nothing more than a cold or allergies and go on to interact with others.
“It’s not a fatiguing virus the way influenza or Covid is, so you really do feel fine,” experts said. “And then what happens is, your neighbor has that beautiful baby, and you bring over a casserole, and you kiss that little baby because you feel fine. You don’t feel sick. And unfortunately, you pass it on to them, and sometimes they end up at the hospital.”
Older siblings can also pass the virus along to younger ones.
“Babies slobber on toys and on each other and everything else, so daycares pass it along, too” according to experts.
Sources : www.npr.org/ Yahoo.com/CNN/ABC News
