ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The number of children across the country admitted to hospitals for respiratory syncytial virus is spiking.
"We’re having this unusual viral season going on. It kind of really started with the RSV," Professor of Health at the University of South Florida Dr. Jill Roberts said.
It’s a virus doctors mostly see in kids and mimics a bad cold.
"Most kids pull through it easily, but in cases when it’s severe, kids require ventilation and that’s what we’re seeing in facilities," Roberts said.
10 Tampa Bay checked in with local children’s hospitals in the Tampa Bay region and none are reporting they are at capacity, but the CDC reports there are more cases than previous seasons.
Dr. John Prpich at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Pulmonologist explained emergency rooms all across the local area are seeing more patients with RSV.
“We have seen an increase in RSV cases at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital during the past several months," he said. "The current PCR data for RSV from the local emergency rooms throughout Tampa Bay is 18 percent.
"This is resulting in an increase in hospitalizations as well as sick kids in the pediatric ICU with RSV bronchitis."
Officials at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital said their ICUs are busy and can be problematic if there is an influx.
"These viruses, especially during the season, are going to be rampant in daycares and schools and stuff like that. There’s going to be a lot of kids passing this around," Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician at John Hopkins All Children's Hospital Meghan Martin said.
Doctors say they are able to treat your child’s symptoms.
"Make sure the kid is breathing comfortably. If the kid is not breathing comfortably, sucking the skin in between the ribs or using extra muscles to breathe, we would want to see them in the emergency room or at least the pediatrician," Martin said.
Although emergency rooms in the local area say they have everything under control now, doctors warn people that they can help prevent the spread to make sure things stay that way.
Currently, there is no vaccine for RSV. The virus can also infect anyone and be dangerous to older adults.