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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is on the rise in the southern United States, according to an advisory issued by the CDC, the virus can cause severe illness in everyone from infants to the elderly. It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under one year of age, and the virus can cause symptoms similar to COVID-19.
As COVID-19 infections continue to spread 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) issued a health advisory on June 10 about the emergence of RSV, a respiratory disease that causes symptoms similar to COVID-19, in southern parts of the country.
The advisory reads: “Because of this increased activity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging broader testing for RSV among patients with acute respiratory illness who test negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Here’s everything you need to know about respiratory syncytial virus, plus what you can do to limit its spread.
What exactly is RSV?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that respiratory syncytial virus is a “common respiratory virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms.” Although most people recover within a week or two, respiratory syncytial virus can cause severe illness, especially in infants and the elderly.
Because it’s a respiratory disease, RSV spreads the same way COVID-19 spreads: respiratory droplets from an infected person (often through coughing or sneezing) touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, or touch a surface contaminated with the virus, and then touch your face.
Right now, the South is seeing a sudden rise in RSV cases, which have been lower than normal since April 2020, the CDC notes. Lab-confirmed cases first began rising in March 2021, and since then have risen dramatically in states such as Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma.
What symptoms does RSV cause?
RSV causes some typical symptoms that are similar, but not identical, 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 cases of RSV infection clear up after two weeks. Patients who have difficulty breathing or who are dehydrated should be hospitalized; In severe cases, a person may have to be placed in oxygen or intubated, according to the CDC.
The CDC notes that nearly all children will have a respiratory syncytial virus infection by age 2. Annually, 58,000 children under 5 years of age and 177,000 adults 65 years of age or older are hospitalized with RSV 100-500 of these children and 14,000 of these adults die of the disease.
How is RSV treated?
The CDC notes that “there is no specific treatment for RSV infection.” Instead, patients can focus on relieving their symptoms by taking fever reducers and over-the-counter pain relievers and drinking plenty of fluids. Parents should contact their child’s pediatrician before giving over-the-counter cold medicines, the CDC warns, because some ingredients may be harmful to children.
You can prevent the spread of RSV by following the same precautions you would with COVID-19, the CDC says, including washing your hands thoroughly and frequently, avoiding close contact with infected people, and wearing a mask or covering sneezes and coughs if you are sick.
If you suspect you may have RSV (or have any cold-like symptoms), keep up with these practices and try to avoid close contact with children who are at risk for severe illness, the CDC recommends. When in doubt, get tested.
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