What is RSV? CDC Says Respiratory Syncytial Virus Is On The Rise

As COVID-19 infections continue to fall across the United States, experts are now warning of another disease that could threaten everyone from infants to the elderly: RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a health notice on June 10 about the rise of RSV, a respiratory disease that causes similar symptoms to COVID-19, in the south of the country.

“Because of this increased activity, the CDC is encouraging broader testing for RSV in patients with acute respiratory disease who negative test for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, ”said the notice.

Here’s everything you need to know about Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and what you can do to stop its spread.

What exactly is RSV?

Respiratory syncytial virus is “a common respiratory virus which generally causes mild cold-like symptoms,” the CDC Explain. Although most people recover within a week or two, RSV can cause serious illness, especially in infants and the elderly.

Because it’s a respiratory disease, RSV is spread in much the same way COVID-19 done: Respiratory droplets from an infected person (often from a cough or sneeze) come in contact with your eyes, nose or mouth or touch a surface contaminated with the virus, then touch your face.

Right now, the South is experiencing a sudden increase in RSV cases, which were below normal since April 2020, notes the CDC. Laboratory confirmed cases first started to climb in March 2021, and they have since skyrocketed in states like Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma.

What symptoms does RSV cause?

RSV causes a few typical symptoms that are similar, but not the same, to those caused by COVID-19, according to the CDC. These are the most common, which usually appear in stages, not all at once:

• Runny nose
• Decreased appetite
• Cough
• sneezing
• Fever
• wheezing

Most RSV infections go away after two weeks. Patients who have difficulty in breathing or who are dehydrated must be hospitalized; in severe cases, a person may need to be put on oxygen or intubated, according to the CDC.

Almost all children will have had an RSV infection by the age of 2, notes the CDC. Each year, 58,000 children under five and 177,000 adults 65 and over are hospitalized for RSV; 100 to 500 of these children and 14,000 of these adults die from the disease.

How is RSV treated?

“There is no specific treatment for RSV infection”, CDC Remarks. Instead, patients can focus on alleviating their symptoms by taking over-the-counter medications. fever reducers and pain relievers and drink plenty of fluids. Parents should contact their child’s pediatrician before administering over-the-counter cold medications, the CDC warns, as some ingredients can be harmful to children.

You can prevent the spread of RSV by following the same precautions as you would with COVID-19, says CDC, including wash one’s hands carefully and frequently, avoiding close contact with infected people, and wear a mask or cover your sneezes and coughs if you are sick.

If you suspect you have RSV (or are experiencing cold-like symptoms), follow these practices and try to avoid close contact with children at high risk for serious illness, recommends the CDC. If in doubt, get tested.

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