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An off-season virus is circling the country and in Sioux Falls, according to local doctors.
As the The COVID-19 pandemic continues, hospitals in several states are reporting an overflow of another virus: the Respiratory syncytial virus. And it’s a trend that has now reached South Dakota.
Doctors from Avera and Sanford Health in Sioux Falls said they are starting to see an increase in cases and hospitalizations in children under 2, and they are warning parents to be careful with the disease often. considered a cold.
Here’s what you need to know about the respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV, which is hitting children this summer:
What is RSV?
RSV is a seasonal virus according to Joe Segeleon, vice president and physician at Sanford Children’s Hospital.
Most 2 year olds have been exposed to the common virus. It is seasonal and in the Sioux Falls area it typically occurs in mid to late fall and lasts until early spring, Segeleon said.
The virus has been around for a long time and most seasons children’s hospitals fill up with patients from the end of the year, Segeleon said.
RSV presents with symptoms similar to the common cold. A runny nose, cough, and mild fever are all symptoms. Segeleon said babies under 8 weeks old sometimes have RSV which presents in “unusual” ways, such as episodes of apnea where the child cannot breathe, dehydration, fever and decreased blood pressure. ‘food.
Kara Bruning, a pediatrician with Avera Health, said the majority of cases she sees are in children under the age of 2, and premature babies are more prone to complications once sick with the virus.
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Are we having an increase in cases in Sioux Falls?
Even though the “normal” RSV season begins in the fall and continues into the spring, last year’s season saw little activity, according to Bruning and Segeleon.
The first cases started arriving in Sanford in April and May and have since increased, Segeleon said.
The exact number of RSV cases locally and statewide is not known. The South Dakota Department of Health is not tracking the number of RSV cases, according to communications director Daniel Bucheli.
Asked by the leader Argus, the two doctors from Sanford and Avera confirmed that their hospitals were seeing an increase in the number of incoming patients, especially in their pediatric units with RSV.
Segeleon told leader Argus that Sanford is experiencing a 30% positivity rate for RSV tests at Sanford Children’s Hospital. They also reported an increase in hospitalizations due to the virus.
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Avera officials were unable to provide leader Argus with their positivity rate at the time of publication on Monday afternoon.
“Usually we see very few cases of RSV during the summer months,” Bruning said. “The number of cases we are seeing right now is very unusual for July.”
What is causing the spread?
The cause of the spread of RSV is debated, but can be attributed to the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Because of COVID-19[female[feminine restrictions, children did not congregate as much and RSV did not spread as easily, according to the two doctors.
“Whether there is a contribution, due to viral suppression, to the fact that COVID is the # 1 virus or just because we weren’t getting together, we’ve seen very few flu-like RSVs,” he said. said Segeleon.
Bruning also added that wearing masks contributes to the slow spread of RSV, but now that children can congregate again, places like daycares and camps have become hotspots for RSV.
“Children spread it very well, especially younger ones, because they like to put toys in their mouths and tend to share things and are not very good at washing their hands,” Bruning said.
What should parents watch out for?
Symptoms of RSV present mainly like those of a cold. Bruning told Argus Leader that the best practice parents can have with their children is to call their doctors as soon as they notice something is wrong with their child.
Because the symptoms of RSV are similar to those of other viruses, including COVID-19, it is difficult to differentiate RSV from other viruses. Brunings recommends that parents bring their child regardless of the virus they suspect they have. And if they have a fever, keep them at home.
“If your child is sick and has a fever, please keep him at home,” Bruning said.
Is RSV specific to children and can you get the virus more than once?
The virus is not specific to young children, but they are the most susceptible to it, the two doctors said.
“You can get RSV more than once, but the older you are, the wider your airways are,” Bruning said. “Once you get older, we don’t care or test it as much as we do for little people.”
Segeleon told Argus Leader that RSV can also cause more serious complications in older people. Adults with asthma may also need to see their doctor if they notice difficulty breathing.
If you are in a population that is more likely to get sick, RSV can also cause more serious complications for you, Segeleon. mentionned.
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How to avoid catching the virus:
The # 1 way to avoid contracting the virus is to wash your hands, according to Segeleon. He said that like any virus, the steps to avoid it are the same, if you feel sick stay home, avoid approaching others, especially young children, and wash your hands frequently.
“If something is wrong, a parent usually knows they need to welcome the child,” Segeleon said.
There is no treatment available for RSV, only supportive therapy like IV fluids and oxygen therapy, according to Segeleon.
“There is no vaccine for RSV, it is a virus that I cannot fix,” said Bruning, “but we can support your child and help her get away with it the best we can. can. “
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Sources 2/ https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2021/07/20/rsv-symptoms-what-respitory-syncytial-virus-sioux-falls-hospitals-south-dakota-covid-19-coronavirus/8025359002/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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