Some U.S. children’s hospitals are seeing a surge in an illness called RSV. It’s a common virus that can cause mild symptoms such as runny nose and cough. But for some babies and older adults, RSV can be extremely serious, causing infections in the lungs. Experts say RSV is encountering a highly vulnerable population of babies and children who were sheltered from common bugs during the pandemic lockdowns and didn’t have a chance to build immunity. Doctors are bracing for how RSV, influenza and COVID-19 could combine this winter to stress hospital resources.
What’s behind worrying RSV surge in US children’s hospitals?
