El Paso public health officials warn of dangers from RSV infections
The city of El Paso’s Department of Public Health has issued a public health advisory on the dangers of the respiratory syncytial virus, commonly referred to as RSV.
RSV can affect everyone, mostly during the fall and winter season, officials said in a news release.
City health officials warn that RSV can become so serious in some children as to require hospitalization, particularly among young infants, those with certain medical conditions, or babies born prematurely.
For adults, RSV can manifest as coldlike symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two.
According to the news release, RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in the United States.
“What we are seeing across our city, state and country is the rapid rise of respiratory illnesses, including RSV, flu, and others which is very concerning for the upcoming winter season,” City-County Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza said in the news release. “Prevention is the key, and we have seen that safety precautions such as washing your hands, staying home, being careful around others when we are sick, and wearing a mask will help prevent many of these respiratory infections.”
As of October, hospitals reported the number of RSV visits and admissions at 687.
RSV causes cold symptoms such as a runny nose, nasal congestion, fever, sneezing and cough. Some infants can develop bronchiolitis and pneumonia from RSV.
When to seek help for a baby
Officials said in a news release that people should seek immediate medical attention for a baby if it experiences:
· Labored, short, shallow and abnormally fast breathing. They recommend looking for chest wall retractions. (Think of chest wall retractions as a “caving in” of the chest in between and under the ribs)
· A wheezing cough
· Nasal flaring (the baby’s nostrils spread out with every breath.)
· Unusual tiredness or a blue tint to lips or fingernails
· Poor feeding
· A fever of 100.4° F or 38° C or higher for a baby younger than 3 months, or 102.2° F or 39° C or higher for a baby older than 3 months.
How RSV spreads
RSV can spread when:
· An infected person coughs or sneezes.
· You get virus droplets from a cough or sneeze in your eyes, nose, or mouth.
· You have direct contact with the virus, like kissing the face of a child with RSV.
· You touch a surface that has the virus on it, like a doorknob, and then touch your face before washing your hands.
People infected with RSV are usually contagious for three to eight days and can become contagious a day or two before they start showing signs of illness, officials said. However, some infants and people with weakened immune systems can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms for up to four weeks.
Children are often exposed to and infected with RSV at school or at child care centers and gatherings, then can transmit the virus to other family members.
RSV can survive for many hours on hard surfaces, such as tables and crib rails. It typically lives on soft surfaces such as tissues and hands for shorter amounts of time.
People at risk from RSV
People at the highest risk for severe disease include:
· Premature infants
· Young children with congenital (from birth) heart or chronic lung disease
· Young children with compromised, weakened immune systems due to a medical condition or medical treatment
· Children with neuromuscular disorders
· Adults with compromised immune systems
· Older adults, especially those with underlying heart or lung disease
El Paso Community Clinics offer free flu shots
Public health officials urge residents to get flu shots. The city’s Community Clinics are offering free flu shots to those 6 months of age and older and require no appointment or insurance. City Community Clinics are open for vaccinations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at the following locations:
· 9341 Alameda Ave.
· 7380 Remcon Circle
· 9566 Railroad Drive
· 220 S. Stanton Street (corner of First and Stanton)
For more information visit, EPHealth.com under the RSV tab or call 2-1-1 for a referral to services.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso public health officials warn of dangers from RSV infections
