Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
dec 28 2012
Children’s emergency ward full after virus breakout
An epidemic of the respiratory virus RS has broken out among infants in Gothenburg, with over 120 children seeking care at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in the past week.
Twenty children are currently in the emergency ward, and four children have been treated in the intensive care unit, reports local newspaper Göteborgsposten.
RS, which is short for respiratory syncytial virus, usually displays the symptoms of a common cold, but infants under six months and chronically ill older people are particularly sensitive to the virus and can contract acute bronchitis.
Children often develop a build-up of mucus, which leads to coughing fits, respiratory problems and sometimes fevers.
“An extremely high number of children have sought care this year, and this is a very early peak. Normally, we see the most problems in January or February. The emergency ward has been taken over by RS-affected children”, said pediatrician Anders Lindblad.
The Sahlgrenska hospital has urged parents of infants to look out for signs of tiredness, appetite loss or breathing difficulties in their children and to do their best to prevent contagion.
“You should not take your infant to Ikea or shopping in the sales. Let the child stay home instead and do not invite ill children over,” advised Lindblad.
“Hand hygiene is also important and make sure not to cough directly at the child. If a sibling is ill, it is a good idea to keep them at a distance.”
The epidemic returns every year, since there is no immunization against the RS virus, but when children get older their lungs and airways grow, which means the virus does not cause more than a common cold, explained Lindblad.
Radio Sweden
Note:
Recently an upsurge of RS-virus was found in the Netherlands and Belgium.
.
Children’s emergency ward full after virus breakout
An epidemic of the respiratory virus RS has broken out among infants in Gothenburg, with over 120 children seeking care at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in the past week.
Twenty children are currently in the emergency ward, and four children have been treated in the intensive care unit, reports local newspaper Göteborgsposten.
RS, which is short for respiratory syncytial virus, usually displays the symptoms of a common cold, but infants under six months and chronically ill older people are particularly sensitive to the virus and can contract acute bronchitis.
Children often develop a build-up of mucus, which leads to coughing fits, respiratory problems and sometimes fevers.
“An extremely high number of children have sought care this year, and this is a very early peak. Normally, we see the most problems in January or February. The emergency ward has been taken over by RS-affected children”, said pediatrician Anders Lindblad.
The Sahlgrenska hospital has urged parents of infants to look out for signs of tiredness, appetite loss or breathing difficulties in their children and to do their best to prevent contagion.
“You should not take your infant to Ikea or shopping in the sales. Let the child stay home instead and do not invite ill children over,” advised Lindblad.
“Hand hygiene is also important and make sure not to cough directly at the child. If a sibling is ill, it is a good idea to keep them at a distance.”
The epidemic returns every year, since there is no immunization against the RS virus, but when children get older their lungs and airways grow, which means the virus does not cause more than a common cold, explained Lindblad.
Radio Sweden
Note:
Recently an upsurge of RS-virus was found in the Netherlands and Belgium.
.