A respiratory virus is spreading across Florida and other parts of the country, prompting fitness experts to warn of a “triple outbreak” in the coming months.
Some hospitals are reporting an increase in the number of young children inflamed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is similar to the common cold. Although healthy adults and older children have only mild symptoms of the disease, children younger than five years of age and others whose immune systems are possibly weakened are at greater risk of infection.
Dr. Shelley Collins, a pediatrician and professor of pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine, said that while UF Health has noticed the same accumulation of RSV cases as elsewhere, there has been a possible accumulation of respiratory illnesses overall. such as rhinovirus and enterovirus.
“Historically, we’re a little bit of the Northeast in terms of the number of patients with respiratory illnesses, adding RSV,” he said. . “
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RSV does not appear in maximum areas of Florida until January or February. This year, cases began to rise last month.
In fact, in September, the number of RSV emergency room visits among youth exceeded compared to previous years, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says infants and toddlers with the virus will likely experience decreased appetite before other symptoms appear, and coughing will increase one to three days later.
Sneezing, fever, and wheezing may also occur. In very young infants, irritability, reduced activity, and/or sleep apnea may be the only symptoms of infection.
In most parts of the country, RSV circulates in fall, winter, and spring, but the timing and severity of the RSV season on a given network can vary from year to year.
Florida has the longest RSV season in the country, with several distinct regions created through the Department of Health.
Alachua County, which is located in the North Florida region, has an RSV season that runs from September to March.
Devin Frison, lead epidemiologist for the Alacua County Health Department, said thankfully the county has still noticed a backlog of RSV cases.
“We still don’t know what the long term holds, but we’re watching how many cases we see,” he said.
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Some experts worry that RSV, along with COVID and influenza, could lead to what’s called a “triple epidemic” this winter.
Collins said physical care providers are very concerned about this triple risk occurring in others who have not been vaccinated against COVID and flu, and that some children are already experiencing two respiratory viruses at once.
“We’re already seeing young people with multiple viruses,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a mix of influenza and RSV, and it’s a mix of RSV and other common viruses that are provided in the community.
While most cases related to COVID, flu and RSV are likely to be mild, the combined viruses can lead to illness in millions of Americans, potentially overwhelming hospitals, according to a recent New York Times report.
Several children’s hospitals in Tampa, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D. C. they are already packed with RSV patients, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
RSV was discovered in 1956 and since then has been identified as one of the most frequent causes of disease in the formative years, annual epidemics spreading to all age groups.
Specifically, in the United States, maximum RSV commonly causes bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lungs) in children younger than one year and sends about 58,000 children under the age of five to the hospital per year, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Health experts say the pandemic lockdown is likely to blame for the rise in RSV.
During prolonged lockdowns, most children and adults have suffered from common infections, which could have backfired, especially for young children.
“Since everyone was home from COVID, there were no outdoor Americans exposed to the flu or other viruses,” Frison said. Viruses, however, are unpredictable at this point. “
The CDC said that while there is no vaccine for RSV lately, like influenza and COVID, researchers are developing several vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and antiviral treatments to help infants and toddlers, pregnant women (their unborn babies), and the elderly from severe RSV infection.
Like peak respiratory diseases, the virus is basically spread through droplets from inflamed people.
Collins said that to prevent the spread of RSV, physical care providers have the same precautions they take with the flu and other communicable illnesses: Wash your hands thoroughly and stay home if you get sick.
“If your aunt or grandmother is sick, now is not the time to come see your newborn,” she said. “Because it’s our younger children who tend to be sicker with RSV.
“Older young people may, in fact, (also have poor health), but as you get older, your airlines get bigger and therefore tend to take better care of the virus. “
Javon L. Harris is a local government and social justice reporter for The Gainesville Sun. He can be reached by phone at (352) 338-3103, by email at jlharris@gannett. com or on Twitter @JavonLHarris_JD.