Hospitals in New Hampshire are seeing an increase in pediatric respiratory viruses. Doctors said the predominant virus was RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus. Said the most dangerous: RSV inflames the airways, clogs them with mucus, and makes breathing difficult. The virus usually emerges in the winter months, but has been circulating since late summer.RS virus isn’t the only virus doctors are seeing, says Dr. Sharon Bupra, a pediatrician at St. , said: “This is the first school year when it starts to look like it was pre-pandemic, so we’re starting to hear that kids have gastroenteritis and other fevers and viral infections.” A high number of cases have been reported in number of RSVs, some reaching pediatric bed capacity. Vuppula said New Hampshire hasn’t reached that level, but area hospitals are treating more patients with the virus — raising restrictions on masking and social distancing,” Vuppula said. Children are returning to school without masks and doing all of their extracurricular activities.” Not only is her team gearing up for an increase in respiratory viruses, but it’s a busy flu season. “Nurses are coordinating staff flu vaccination clinics,” Anderson said. We are coordinating with the State of New Hampshire on all flu clinics for students. They advise parents to make sure their children are kept up to date on vaccines. .
Hospitals in New Hampshire are seeing an increase in respiratory viruses in children.
Doctors said the dominant virus was RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus.
RSV causes the airways to become inflamed and clogged with mucus, making breathing difficult. The virus usually emerges during the winter months, but has been prevalent since late summer.
RSV isn’t the only virus doctors see.
Dr. Sharon Bupra, pediatrician at St. Joseph’s Hospital, said: “This is the first school year when it starts to look like it was pre-pandemic, so we’re starting to hear kids have gastroenteritis and other fevers and viral infections.”
Several hospitals across the country are now reporting high cases of RSV, and some are reaching pediatric bed capacity.
Bupra said while New Hampshire has not reached that level, hospitals in the area are treating more patients with the virus.
“This has mostly to do with the fact that this is the first school year, the first kind of fall, winter, and the restrictions on masking and social distancing have actually been tightened.” I’m back in school and doing all my extracurricular activities.”
In the news, there are local schools on alert.
Laura Anderson, health care coordinator for the Concord School District, said her team is preparing not only for an increase in respiratory viruses, but also for a busy flu season.
“Nurses have been coordinating staff flu vaccination clinics,” Anderson said. .”
Doctors say flu and COVID-19 cases in children are also on the rise. They advise parents to make sure their children are kept up to date on vaccines .
