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South Texas Health System physicians are advising residents to get vaccinated as they begin to see an uptick in cases of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
“Right now we have a surge in town because we’ve been seeing tons of RSVs in children and also in adults,” said Eduardo Candanosa, emergency room and family medicine physician at both STHS Children’s and STHS McAllen, on Wednesday.
However, this is not out of the ordinary.
Around the months of October to November hospitals begin to see a rise in RSV cases due to it being a “winter virus,” according to Candanosa.
He explained that RSV is more common in children, with those 6 months old or younger considered high-risk patients.
Although the virus usually manifests in adults as a common cold, for children the virus can lead to other respiratory issues such as bronchitis or bronchiolitis.
According to Candanosa, symptoms of RSV in children will begin with upper respiratory issues such as runny nose, chills, fever, headache, sore throat and cough.
If left untreated the symptoms can progress into wheezing, more coughing, fever and rapid respirations that could lead to respiratory distress.
Because it can progress quickly in younger children, he recommends all parents seek immediate medical attention if their kids begin to show signs of RSV.
In order to prevent RSV, Candanosa is recommending residents to get vaccinated.
“(That’s) the best preventive method,” he said, adding the vaccine is available at local pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens.
Other preventative measures include practices similar to those during the COVID-19 pandemic, including maintaining good hand hygiene and avoiding contact with those who have RSV.
