Doctors Say Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV Making for a Perfect Storm in ERs

(KNSI) — Influenza cases always come this time of year, and COVID-19 is sticking around; however, what’s slamming children’s hospitals is a surge in respiratory syncytial virus.

Dr. Norman Christopher is in charge of a children’s hospital and says the three make for a perfect storm in ERs. “We’re seeing between 150 and 180 [patients] or so a week right now coming into our ERs. At any one time, we might have between six and 12 patients who need to be hospitalized, but for who we don’t have beds and so they board in the emergency department.”

Officials say RSV is a common respiratory virus usually seen in kids under age two between October and March, peaking in February, but doctors at CentraCare say the numbers now are already pretty high. They add that two years of isolation and COVID-19 lockdowns have opened the door for more cases.

Symptoms in older kids can mock the common cold, including a runny nose, reduced appetite, coughing, sneezing, wheezing and sometimes a mild fever. Dr. Christopher says for the youngest kids, the symptoms of RSV are worse than COVID-19.

“They oftentimes require very aggressive treatment and monitoring. With the disease itself, they can be sick for quite a long time. For weeks.”

Medical experts say to watch out for a fever lasting more than five to seven days. Or if a child has difficulty breathing, is experiencing rapid breathing or breathing faster than 60 breaths a minute. In babies, look for their nose flaring out or any color changes, pauses or grunting.

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