Northern California health officials said Wednesday they are reporting an increase in RSV and influenza cases in the region. “We’re also seeing an above-average daily count increase for this time of year and seeing the complications of RSV,” Kaiser Permanente’s Dr. Zoey Goore said in a press conference with experts on Wednesday. Sacramento County Medical. “We are also seeing quite significant complications from the flu.” RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is on the rise across the country. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say most children get RSV at some point before they are two years old. mitigation efforts in place, we have seen record numbers of RSV, influenza and other respiratory viruses,” said Dr. Dean Blumberg, of UC Davis Health. fever and wheezing. They usually last a week or two and go away with rest and fluids. But in some children, especially young infants, RSV can be dangerous, leading to dehydration, trouble breathing, and more serious illnesses such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia.| Video below | What is RSV and how do you detect it in your child? Health officials said there was a significant increase in emergency room visits and hospital admissions with children who have RSV. However, Blumberg said they weren’t seeing the same levels as the East Coast, where there weren’t enough hospital beds for children. He warned that things can “change quickly”. “We’ve been watching this progression from the East Coast for several weeks now and have many practices in place in anticipation,” said Dr. Craig Swanson, of Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento Children’s Center. Doctors representing different health systems across Northern California all echoed that they were working to increase the capacity of all area hospitals to care for children during this time. “I can’t give you a specific number for the increase in admissions, but we are seeing significantly more consultations, certainly more patient admissions. Dignity (Health) and Mercy San Juan are ready to expand our pediatric beds than we have right now, so we’re doing our best to deal with this increase that we’re seeing,” said Dr. Lindsey Demetral, of Mercy San Juan Medical Center Dignity Health. Older-than-usual children get RSVRSV usually strikes the children six months and younger are harder hit due to weaker immune system support.However, toddlers and kindergartners are the ones who need the most respiratory support at this time, a said Demetral, who is vigilant with COVID-19. “That means all of these kids, they missed RSV for the first time and so these older toddlers get RSV and I think that’s what’s causing it. sse some of the older children to go to the hospital with complications,” Blumberg said. Health officials have warned that children with asthma are at greater risk of seeing complications from RSV. Flu cases are also on the rise across the country So far this season, there have been about 1.6 million flu cases and 13,000 hospitalizations. Influenza activity is most intense in some of the regions where RSV is fading, including the Southeast, according to CDC data. Health officials are urging people to get their flu shot now, ahead of the usually busy illness season. “Not all children who have been hospitalized with flu complications have received their flu shot this year,” Goore said. There is no vaccine against RSV yet. | Video below | Flu season is more aggressive now compared to the past decade – CNN contributed to this report.
Northern California health officials said Wednesday they are reporting an increase in RSV and influenza cases in the region.
“We’re also seeing an above-average daily count increase for this time of year and seeing the complications of RSV,” Kaiser Permanente’s Dr. Zoey Goore said in a press conference with experts on Wednesday. Sacramento County Medical. “We are also seeing quite significant complications from the flu.”
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is on the rise across the country.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that most children get RSV at some point before the age of two.
“Virtually all children contract RSV between the ages of zero and three, and if we think about the last two and a half years of mitigation efforts in place, we have seen record numbers of RSV, influenza and other respiratory viruses “said Dr. Dean Blumberg, with UC Davis Health.
Symptoms may resemble a cold and include a runny nose, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing. They usually last a week or two and go away with rest and fluids.
But in some children, especially young infants, RSV can be dangerous, leading to dehydration, trouble breathing, and more serious illnesses such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
| Video below | What is RSV and how do you detect it in your child?
Health officials said there was a significant increase in emergency room visits and hospital admissions with children who have RSV. However, Blumberg said they don’t see the same levels as the East Coast, where there aren’t enough hospital beds for children.
He warned that things can “change quickly”.
“We’ve been watching this progression from the East Coast for several weeks now and have many practices in place in anticipation,” said Dr. Craig Swanson, of Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento Children’s Center.
Physicians representing different Northern California health systems have all echoed that they are working to increase the capacity of all area hospitals to care for children during this time.
“I can’t give you a specific number for the increase in admissions, but we are seeing significantly more consultations, certainly more patient admissions. Dignity (Health) and Mercy San Juan are ready to expand our pediatric beds than we have right now, so we’re doing our best to deal with this increase that we’re seeing,” said Dr. Lindsey Demetral, of Mercy San Juan Medical Center Dignity Health.
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Older-than-usual children get RSV
RSV typically hits children six months and younger the hardest due to weak immune system support. However, toddlers and kindergartners are the ones who need the most respiratory support right now, Demetral said.
She said it’s likely because toddlers weren’t exposed to RSV with out-of-school children, more people were wearing masks and being more vigilant with COVID-19.
“That means all of these kids, they missed RSV for the first time and so these older toddlers get RSV and I think that’s what drives some of the older kids to go to the hospital with complications,” Blumberg said.
Health officials have warned that children with asthma are at greater risk of seeing complications from RSV.
Flu cases are also on the rise across the country
So far this season, there have been around 1.6 million cases of the flu and 13,000 hospitalizations. Influenza activity is heaviest in some of the regions where RSV is fading, including the Southeast, according to CDC data.
Health officials are urging people to get their flu shot now, ahead of the usually busy illness season.
“Not all children who have been hospitalized with flu complications have received their flu shot this year,” Goore said.
There is no vaccine against RSV yet.
| Video below | The flu season is more aggressive now compared to the last decade
-CNN contributed to this report.