Frisbie reports spike in RSV among youngsters. but few required hospitalization

two-year-old Jazlynmae Gonzalez of New Mexico just spent her birthday battling RSV in the pediatric ICU at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. (ABC News photo)

ROCHESTER - Like many areas across the country, Frisbie Memorial Hospital's affiliated providers have seen an increase in RSV, also known as respiratory syncytial virus, but it's not unusual to see at this time of year, according to HCA's New Hampshire regional medical director.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, with most people recovering in a week or two, however, RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.
An ABC News report released today noted that two-year-old Jazlynmae Gonzalez of New Mexico just spent her birthday battling RSV in the pediatric ICU at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.
Her mother, Melissa, said that Jazlynmae was having such trouble breathing that she was intubated and had to spend eight days on a ventilator but is now recovering; Jazlynmae remains on oxygen as she works to breathe on her own.
Over the past several weeks, many pediatric hospitals have been reporting they are at capacity or near capacity due to an early surge of RSV cases.
Every year, between 58,000 and 80,000 children younger than age 5 are hospitalized and between 100 and 500 children die from the condition.
Dr. Trevor Eide, HCA's New Hampshire regional medical director for emergency medicine, said Frisbie's emergency department has also seen a spike in RSV cases.
"Fortunately most have not been severe enough to require hospitalization," Eide told The Rochester Voice.
Eide added that as the winter season sets in, these types of spikes often occur.
"While we've seen a bit of an increase over the past few months, it's not unusual to see this uptick in both children and adults at this time of year," he said.