200+ kids infected with RSV – DoH
By Nidz Godino
“Our elderly are also vulnerable to this disease, so we urge them to take care of themselves,” Department of Health (DoH) Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire DoH has advised parents and children against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) after it was found that more than 200 children have been infected in the country with the disease.
This comes after the United States reported an increase in RSV cases among school-age children in the country, which is heavily affecting their health care systems capacity amid coronavirus pandemic.
In a briefing Vergeire said country has surveillance system for RSV which is maintained by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
She said based on monitoring of sentinel hospitals from January 1 to August 31, there were 221 cases of RSV cases in children, with no reported fatality from the virus.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV is a “common respiratory virus” that causes mild, cold-like symptoms. It can be transmitted through airborne viral droplets from infected individuals.
Among symptoms of RSV infection are fever, colds, runny nose, decrease in appetite and coughing, which could lead to breathing difficulties.
RSV does not only infect young children but can also infect older people and can cause severe disease in high-risk individuals such as senior citizens.
A vaccine for RSV is under development by Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, and is now under phase three clinical trials.
Vergeire said RSV is “self-limiting” virus, which means patient will recover from the disease without any form of medicine.
She urged parents to keep their children healthy and also to follow preventive measures such as getting vaccinated for other respiratory diseases.
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