Children's hospitals fill up amid early spike in respiratory infections

A An intensive care nurse tends to a patient with respiratory syncytial virus. Getty | Image Alliance </figure><p>Doctors nationwide are reporting early and dramatic increases in respiratory disease, with many children's hospitals saying they are running out of beds.</p> <p>Nearly three-quarters of pediatric hospital beds are occupied, according to national data compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services. Some areas are seeing children's hospitals full, including the Washington, DC, and Boston areas.</p> <p>Several viruses are behind this wave. As Ars reported earlier, health officials have warned of an increase in adenoviruses and enteroviruses, two common respiratory viruses in children. An enterovirus, called EV-D68, is associated with a polio-like neurological condition called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in young children, and health officials are bracing for a further rise in AFM cases. So far, the CDC hasn't seen such a surge this fall.</p> <p>The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, indicates a skyrocketing number of cases of RSV, the respiratory syncytial virus (sin-SISH-uhl). RSV is a common respiratory infection that produces cold-like symptoms in most people, but can be life-threatening in a small percentage of cases, particularly in infants and young children with specific underlying health.</p> <p>RSV typically increases later in the winter, with peaks in recent pre-pandemic years in late December. But, circulation of the virus began to increase in late summer of this year, and cases are now high, with the latest weekly case count from Oct. 15 at more than 7,000, according to CDC data. The peak of RSV cases in 2021 saw weekly counts mostly around 4,000.</p> <figure class=Influenza-like activity started early with this year's data marked on the left by red triangles. Enlarge / Flu-like activity started early with this year's data marked on the left by red triangles. CDC FluView

And RSV isn't the only virus to start early this fall. Flu circulation is also off to an unusually strong start, and officials fear the flu season could also be particularly bad.

The sharp rise in cold-weather viruses is prompting experts to escalate calls for flu shots and COVID-19 reminders. Although reported cases of COVID-19 do not show signs of a dramatic recovery, the use of home testing makes it difficult to officially count cases...

  Technology   Oct 25, 2022   0   56  Add to Reading List
Children's hospitals fill up amid early spike in respiratory infections
A An intensive care nurse tends to a patient with respiratory syncytial virus. Getty | Image Alliance </figure><p>Doctors nationwide are reporting early and dramatic increases in respiratory disease, with many children's hospitals saying they are running out of beds.</p> <p>Nearly three-quarters of pediatric hospital beds are occupied, according to national data compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services. Some areas are seeing children's hospitals full, including the Washington, DC, and Boston areas.</p> <p>Several viruses are behind this wave. As Ars reported earlier, health officials have warned of an increase in adenoviruses and enteroviruses, two common respiratory viruses in children. An enterovirus, called EV-D68, is associated with a polio-like neurological condition called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in young children, and health officials are bracing for a further rise in AFM cases. So far, the CDC hasn't seen such a surge this fall.</p> <p>The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, indicates a skyrocketing number of cases of RSV, the respiratory syncytial virus (sin-SISH-uhl). RSV is a common respiratory infection that produces cold-like symptoms in most people, but can be life-threatening in a small percentage of cases, particularly in infants and young children with specific underlying health.</p> <p>RSV typically increases later in the winter, with peaks in recent pre-pandemic years in late December. But, circulation of the virus began to increase in late summer of this year, and cases are now high, with the latest weekly case count from Oct. 15 at more than 7,000, according to CDC data. The peak of RSV cases in 2021 saw weekly counts mostly around 4,000.</p> <figure class=Influenza-like activity started early with this year's data marked on the left by red triangles. Enlarge / Flu-like activity started early with this year's data marked on the left by red triangles. CDC FluView

And RSV isn't the only virus to start early this fall. Flu circulation is also off to an unusually strong start, and officials fear the flu season could also be particularly bad.

The sharp rise in cold-weather viruses is prompting experts to escalate calls for flu shots and COVID-19 reminders. Although reported cases of COVID-19 do not show signs of a dramatic recovery, the use of home testing makes it difficult to officially count cases...

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