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Source: http://thesewardphoenixlog.com/article/1009respiratory_virus_wallops_bethel_region
Published on March 2nd, 2010
Respiratory virus wallops Bethel region
By ALEX DEMARBAN
A powerful virus is hitting babies in the Bethel region hard.
Cases of respiratory syncytial virus, an illness that starts with cold-like symptoms but can deteriorate into pneumonia, have spiked dramatically at the regional hospital in the Southwest Alaska city, officials said.
The pediatric unit hasn't seen this much RSV activity in at least a decade, said Lori Chikoyak, infection control nurse at Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp.
During February, 106 children visited the emergency room with RSV-like symptoms. Sixty-four were admitted to the hospital for RSV, nearly all younger than 2 years old, Chikoyak said.
By comparison, 84 children were admitted during the region's last big outbreak two years ago. But that occurred over three months.
"It's shaping up to be worse this time," Chikoyak said.
The hospital has seen sick babies and toddlers from about 25 villages, but the most severe cases seem to be from the coastal communities of Chevak, Hooper Bay, Scammon Bay and Quinhagak, she said.
Statewide, the outlook looks better, said Greg Wilkinson, spokesman for the state health department...
Published on March 2nd, 2010
Respiratory virus wallops Bethel region
By ALEX DEMARBAN
A powerful virus is hitting babies in the Bethel region hard.
Cases of respiratory syncytial virus, an illness that starts with cold-like symptoms but can deteriorate into pneumonia, have spiked dramatically at the regional hospital in the Southwest Alaska city, officials said.
The pediatric unit hasn't seen this much RSV activity in at least a decade, said Lori Chikoyak, infection control nurse at Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp.
During February, 106 children visited the emergency room with RSV-like symptoms. Sixty-four were admitted to the hospital for RSV, nearly all younger than 2 years old, Chikoyak said.
By comparison, 84 children were admitted during the region's last big outbreak two years ago. But that occurred over three months.
"It's shaping up to be worse this time," Chikoyak said.
The hospital has seen sick babies and toddlers from about 25 villages, but the most severe cases seem to be from the coastal communities of Chevak, Hooper Bay, Scammon Bay and Quinhagak, she said.
Statewide, the outlook looks better, said Greg Wilkinson, spokesman for the state health department...