RSV is spreading more in Kansas City kids than past years. Children’s Mercy has advice

Joseph Hernandez
Emily Curiel/ecuriel@kcstar.com

Cases of RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus, are rising at concerning levels among kids in Kansas City, according to Children’s Mercy. October is unseasonably early for RSV numbers to be on the rise at hospitals, and case numbers are even higher this year than last year when there was also an early surge.

Children’s Mercy told The Star the hospital tested 259 children for RSV last week, and 120 of those tests returned positive. The week prior, staff tested 170 kids, and 75 were positive.

“In a typical year, take 2019 for instance, RSV starts in November and ends sometime in the spring, typically March,” Dr. Angela Meyer, infectious diseases division director at Children’s Mercy, told The Star in a statement. “It is unusual to see these numbers this early. We did see an early RSV spike in 2021 as well, but this one is higher than that one.”

The alarmingly high RSV case numbers for this time of year are becoming a widely reported trend among hospitals around the country, described by national outlets as “unprecedented” and the most severe in 25 years.

A representative with Children’s Mercy said they have patients hospitalized with a variety of respiratory issues, so it’s hard to put a number on just how many kids are coming in with RSV.

WHAT IS RSV?

It’s a contagious virus that can be spread through droplets from coughing, sneezing or touching infected surfaces and then touching your face. The symptoms are cold-like and show up around four to six days after infection.

These symptoms include:

  • Cough

  • Trouble breathing

  • Fever

  • Runny nose and nasal congestion

It’s similar to COVID-19 in how it spreads, but symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and sore throat are more common with COVID-19 than with RSV. You may also experience fatigue, headaches, body soreness and loss of smell or taste if you’re infected with COVID-19.

For most children, RSV causes mild symptoms and the body is able to fight off the virus in around one or two weeks. In infants, young children and children with weakened immune systems, RSV can have more severe symptoms and can lead to more dangerous infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

HOW TO PREVENT RSV?

The same way you prevent COVID-19 is how you would prevent your child from becoming infected with RSV.

Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, keeping your distance from people who are sick, covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze, cleaning frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs and staying home if you’re sick are key steps to preventing the spread of RSV.

In 2020, RSV cases were comparatively low, which Children’s Mercy doctors attributed to people staying home and taking precautions like wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

WHAT IF YOU THINK YOUR CHILD IS SICK WITH RSV?

Your child may be able to fight it off at home with medication, rest and drinking plenty of fluids, but the infection can get worse.

If you notice your child IS having trouble breathing, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

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