Early surge in flu, children’s virus overwhelms hospitals this fall

However, in some cases, especially among infants, RSV can become dangerous and cause complications such as respiratory distress and pneumonia. Lincoln was one of her critically ill patients at Children’s Hospital where she was diagnosed with RSV. He had to be put on a respirator and needed a feeding tube for feeding. Since then, he’s still in the hospital, but he’s starting to improve.

“It’s been over a week since we’ve been here and we’ve seen a lot of babies leave and soon… be replaced by another,” Ruby said. is incredibly fast and produces a lot of babies.”

Atlanta’s Children’s Health Care said earlier this month that seeing an “unprecedented” number of sick children had forced it to pitch a tent in a parking lot and expand its emergency room. The hospital is also urging some children, especially teens and older, to be cared for in non-pediatric ERs rather than transferring them to pediatrics, according to the report.

A spokesperson for the hospital on Monday said it continues to see an unusually high number of patients and declined to provide specific numbers, but the surge in patients was two to three times the normal number. said it is.

Emergency room wait times are now over three hours for all children’s health care at Atlanta hospitals, according to the hospital system’s website. Pediatric doctors are in discussions with other non-pediatric hospital emergency rooms to ensure they get the care they need at other non-pediatric hospitals.

The surge in respiratory illness has overwhelmed hospitals across the country, and other hospitals in Georgia, including the Georgia Children’s Hospital in Augusta, are also seeing surges in pediatric patients infected with respiratory viruses.

Nationwide, nearly 75% of staffed hospital pediatric beds are occupied, according to a US Department of Health and Human Services report Monday. His three states in the northeast report up to 94% of pediatric beds occupied, while the latest report puts Georgia where his 65% of pediatric beds are occupied. Well, the situation doesn’t seem so serious.

COVID-19 is responsible for some childhood illnesses in children, but in smaller numbers than other viruses currently circulating.

Dr. Roberts Wiskind, a pediatrician at Peachtree Park Pediatrics, says it’s unusual to see an increase in RSV cases at this time of year. What stands out for Wiskind is the early rise in influenza.

“It’s rare to see a kid with the flu in October,” he said. “And I see it a lot.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, influenza and RSV cases fell to historically low levels as people stayed home and wore masks. Many people, especially young children, have not developed immunity because they have not been exposed to the disease. , doctors are preparing for a particularly severe viral season that has already taken hold.

Georgia is one of five states with “high” flu activity in the country, according to the latest CDC influenza activity map.The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that an estimated 5.9% of patients who visited a doctor in the week ending Oct. 15 had flu or flu-like illness, according to the latest week for which figures are available. increase. This is up from 5.6% the week before.There were 77 people in Metro Atlanta who were hospitalized with the flu In the week ending October 15th, Only one adult has died in Georgia from the flu so far this season, according to the DPH.

The 2017-2018 flu season was one of the deadliest in recent years, killing nearly 150 people in Georgia and hospitalizing more than 3,000 people in the Atlanta subway.

More than a week into the hospital, Lincoln is steadily improving, is no longer on oxygen, and is expected to be home in a few days. Meanwhile, Ruby’s toddler daughter, Charlotte, is also RSV. and is recovering at home under the care of her grandparents.

Despite the busy and crowded conditions for the children, Ruby praised the level of care she received from the doctors and nurses. I helped

Ruby said her advice to parents is to trust their instincts. He said he didn’t seem overly concerned.

“But I knew things weren’t going well, so I took him to the doctor. They literally said if you waited any longer it wouldn’t be better.

AJC data journalist Stephanie Lamm contributed to this article.

About RSV

what is that? Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild cold-like symptoms. Most people recover from him in a week or two, but RSV can be especially serious in young children and the elderly.

It’s not just a cold: Symptoms may look like a cold. a Runny nose, cough, fever. However, if an infant’s runny nose and cough develops into more serious breathing problems, the problem may be RSV, which in most cases can be life-threatening. lung.of RSV infection can be more serious in children born prematurely or with other medical conditions, such as lung or heart conditions.

When to call your doctor: Seek medical attention if your child has symptoms of RSV, including: Gray or bluish skin around the lips and nails.wheezing; lethargy or exhaustion; refusal to drink or breastfeed; reduced number of wet diapers

How long does RSV infection last? Infected people are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days. Infants and people with weakened immune systems can spread RSV for up to 4 weeks. Several candidates are being tested, but there is no vaccine for it.

Who can be infected with RSV? Anyone can become infected with RSV. But it poses the greatest threat to infants, the elderly and other vulnerable people who can contract serious respiratory tract and lung infections.In her children under five in the United States, RSV generally, 58,000 people are hospitalized and up to 500 die each year. Among adults over the age of 65, RSV causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths each year.

Source: Atlanta Children’s Health, Associated Press