BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo is reporting a spike in Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases in infants and small children. The hospital released the information Monday morning.
For some children, RSV can lead to serious respiratory complications. Generally doctors say there's upwards of 80 children admitted with RSV during this time of year. As of Monday, there were 200 cases and more than 60 children spent time in the ICU since November.
"We've opened an additional area for the pediatric ICU for six more beds, as well as overflow areas in the emergency room," Oishei's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Stephen Turkovich, said.
Every year, there's a different strain, but no vaccine.
Symptoms include:
-a significant cough
-wheezing
-fever
-trouble breathing
-lack of appetite
"If you notice that they're breathing fast, if you notice that they're having difficulty breathing, if their ribs look like they're getting sucked in like they're using extra muscles to breath, those are indications that you should come to the hospital immediately," he said.
Earlier this month, the hospital also reported an uptick in cases. Back in January of 2017, the hospital saw a 200% increase in RSV cases in just a month.
Doctors add the best ways to prevent the spread of RSV is hand washing and disinfecting surfaces regularly. It's suggested anyone with a child under a year old, should stay home, away from large crowds and also away from those who are sick.
