The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning the American public this week about “increases” in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity throughout “some parts of the Southeastern United States.”
In an advisory issued via its Health Alert Network, the CDC mentioned information reveals nationwide the weekly proportion of lively circumstances recognized via PCR testing has remained beneath the season onset threshold of 3% for 2 consecutive weeks.
However, the information can be displaying “PCR positivity above 3.0% in Florida beginning in the week ending July 22, 2023, and the 3-week moving average of PCR positivity has been greater than 5.0% for the past 4 weeks,” in response to the CDC.
“In Georgia, CDC has also observed an increase in rates of RSV-associated hospitalizations reported to RSV-NET, a population-based surveillance system,” it added. “Among children ages <4 years, RSV-associated hospitalization rates increased from 2.0 hospitalizations per 100,000 population for the week ending August 5, 2023, to 7.0 hospitalizations per 100,000 population for the week ending August 19, 2023, with the majority occurring among infants ages <1 year.”
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This electron micrograph reveals the morphologic traits of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. ((Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images))
The CDC describes RSV as a “common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms,” however it may be “serious” and end result in hospitalizations for infants and older adults.
“CDC estimates that every year RSV causes approximately 58,000–80,000 hospitalizations and 100–300 deaths in children ages <5 years, as well as 60,000–160,000 hospitalizations and 6,000–10,000 deaths among adults ages 65 years and older,” it additionally mentioned.
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An intensive care nurse holds the foot of a affected person affected by respiratory syncytial virus in the pediatric intensive care unit of a hospital in Germany. ( Marijan Murat/image alliance by way of Getty Images)
The RSV season sometimes begins in the autumn and peaks throughout winter; nonetheless, in latest years, the sample has been upended as a consequence of public well being measures carried out through the coronavirus pandemic, well being officers say.
To assist shield towards its unfold, the CDC says “monoclonal antibody products” can be found for infants and a few younger youngsters, whereas “two new vaccines are available to protect older adults from severe RSV disease.”
This illustration supplied by AstraZeneca depicts packaging for his or her medicine Beyfortus, which is used to guard towards RSV. (AstraZeneca/AP)
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RSV, in response to the CDC, is primarily transmitted from individual to individual via respiratory droplets when an contaminated particular person coughs or sneezes or if somebody comes into direct contact with a contaminated floor.
