The Respiratory Virus or RSV, is stressing the health system, with cases on the rise, especially in children.
Dr. John Ross is the chief medical officer at American Family Children's Hospital in Madison and a pediatric emergency medicine physician with UW Health Kids. He shares what is happening.
⚠️#Wisconsin RSV update...⚠️
— Ben Weston MD MPH 😷 💉 (@BenWWeston) November 10, 2022
WI reported 2,000 lab positive cases of RSV which is 20% test positivity in most recent week.
For context, we have not had cases or rates that high in ❗️10 years❗️
Children's hospitals & clinics are overwhelmed.
What that means?
1/3 pic.twitter.com/fDdTHA1Fub
He explains that while RSV is actually a very common virus, the rates that hospitals are treating infected patients has sky rocketed.
"RSV, for most folks, it's a cough cold, maybe a little bit of a fever. Children, however, particularly those under 18 months of age, can get what's called bronchiolitis, and that is when you get inflammation of the lower airways, making it difficult for them to breathe. They can need some help with typically basic things work, and most kids actually do well—suctioning their nose, making sure they stay hydrated," says Ross.
He adds, still, the younger the child, the harder it can be for them to breathe on their own and older adults with preexisting health problems are at higher risk as well.
Children's hospitals and emergency departments are at capacity in the midwest and every part of the country.
Ross explains that the country may be seeing so many cases of RSV because many people haven't been around each other for a while due to COVID-19 the past two years.
To prevent infection of RSV, Ross suggests the basics.
"It's washing your hands, if you're sick, please stay home, take care of yourself. If you have just a little bit of a runny nose, maybe think about wearing a mask and try not to spread to others. That that's really the way we're going to all take care of our community," says Ross.
