Outbreak of RSV: Infants destroying the virus are still putting pressure on the healthcare system

Doctors “expect” that the dangerous virus that left some babies in the intensive care unit has peaked in Canterbury.

Children and toddlers all over New Zealand Influenza-like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which has children’s wards and general practice nationwide Under extreme pressure..

Although the number of children in need of treatment for respiratory illness is still high, there were “signs of hope” that may have passed the peak in Canterbury, Vanessa, chairman of the New Zealand Medical Association’s General Practitioners Council. Dr. Wienink said.

Christchurch’s overtime medical service recorded 377 patients over the weekend, including “many children,” she said.

read more:
* Occurrence of RSV: Increasing cases continue to increase by 28% in a week
* Outbreak of RSV: A surge in babies that may be followed by a dangerous respiratory virus
* Outbreak of RSV: “Flat Tuck” in hospitals and GPs where the virus hits children across New Zealand

To avoid secondary contamination in the waiting room, people with respiratory symptoms were told to wait in the car and were seen by staff wearing personal protective equipment in certain locations.

Dr. Cheryl Brunton, medical officer of Canterbury, said 114 cases of RSV were confirmed between July 5 and 11.

The Emergency Department (ED) continued to be under pressure this week, with 61 patients presenting with respiratory illness, including 6 over the age of 65.

Dr. Helen Skinner, Chief Medical Officer, said five children over the age of 65 and one adult were admitted to the intensive care unit.

Hospital staff aimed to meet everyone in the ED within two hours, but increased demand increased average waiting time, she said.

Elsewhere, the District Health Commission (DHB) continues to work on the virus. Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital admitted 12 children with RSV to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit on Tuesday.

Last week in Manuaku DHB County, there were 2573 cases associated with winter viruses, including RSV, and up to five children were infected with RSV intensively daily in the last two weeks.

In Wairarapa, ED was more than 90% full every day last week.

Sue Stevieings, chairman of the University of Emergency Nurses in New Zealand, said nurses across the country are experiencing periods of “serious overload” due to the increasing number of sick children.

She said it exacerbated the existing problems of lack of staff and space to meet the needs of those coming to ED.

More children were hospitalized and more children had to stay longer than usual. She said it was also difficult to control the number of people who needed to be quarantined to reduce the spread of the disease.

Dr. Bryan Betty, Medical Director of the Royal New College of General Practitioners, said infection control measures are very important given how busy hospitals and general practice have been.

In Betty’s practice in Polylua, children with respiratory illness were housed in a separate location from other patients, masks were used, and staff frequently washed their hands.

The number of confirmed RSV cases approached 700 in the week leading up to July 7, but Betty believed that the number was “much higher” because not all cases were tested.

Infants and toddlers were most vulnerable to RSV due to lack of immunity, but older people were also more sensitive, he said.

Infant Council CEO Peter Reynolds said Outbreaks of RSV hit far more centers than other centers..

Up to 60 percent of children in some centers were at home because of the virus.

“Some kids … may have the virus, but they are asymptomatic, but in the meantime they handed it over to 20 of their friends … you preschool I can’t stop the children of my age from hugging. “

Reynolds said the center would lose government subsidies to children at home, potentially jeopardizing their business.

“There is a wobbling center at the edge because of the general financial situation we are working on … [this] It may be a straw that breaks the back of a camel. “

The virus has hit infants especially this year, as the infection rate was so low last year. COVID-19 Blockades and border restrictions.

Between 2015 and 2019, there were an average of 1743 RSV cases during each winter period (18-39 weeks of the year for surveillance purposes).

In the past four weeks alone, more than 902 cases have been reported nationwide.