Officials at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh said they’re prepared to handle a surge of patients, if needed, following an uptick in case numbers of some respiratory diseases. Emergency department admittances for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, are up in Pittsburgh and around the country.
RSV is a common virus that causes cold-like symptoms for older kids and adults but can be serious for infants and older people. In kids under one, it can cause bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and potentially lead to pneumonia.
Most RSV infections typically occur in late fall and winter, but beginning last year, doctors reported increased case numbers starting in the summer. Hospitals in Washington, D.C., Connecticut and Texas have been at or near capacity while dealing with the spike.
The Children's Hospital emergency department typically sees about 250 to 290 kids a day. In recent weeks, about two-thirds of those kids have come in for a respiratory illness, and an estimated 15 to 20 kids a day have been diagnosed with RSV.
Dr. Raymond Pitetti, the chief of the emergency department, said Pittsburgh has had fewer RSV cases over the last two years thanks to COVID-19-related precautions like masking and social distancing.
“Now we have a cohort of children who never were exposed to RSV before. And I think that now that it’s starting to circulate, people aren’t masking like they used to… People are going out and about and intermingling. Schools are in person. Now people are being exposed and have no really prior defense against this virus,” he said.
Around this time in 2019, Pitetti estimated the emergency department only saw a “handful” of RSV cases each day.
Flu cases are also beginning to increase.
“And again, it’s a little bit on the early side for flu as well. Typically, that’s a little bit later in the fall and winter months. So, I do have some concerns about the number of kids we’re going to be seeing with flu,” Pitetti said.
The best way to avoid a potential “tripledemic” of flu, RSV and COVID-19 is for people to wash their hands, cover their mouths when they cough and stay home if they’re sick. Staying up to date on COVID-19 boosters and flu vaccines can also help ensure fewer people get sick.
Pitetti said he remains hopeful that there won’t be a “tripledemic” but warned that it’s still possible for all three viruses to spike again this fall.
“It is not time to panic at all,” Pitetti said. He advised parents to do what they would for other illnesses: keep kids hydrated, monitor their breathing and practice good hygiene.
“If your child does get sick, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to come to the emergency department,” Pitetti said, noting that wait times have increased.
If a child isn’t experiencing an emergency but does have symptoms of RSV or another respiratory issue, Pitetti recommends making a telemedicine appointment or taking them to the pediatrician or an express urgent care facility.
