Symptoms of respiratory illness soaring as rates in hospital double in a week
Rates of a potentially serious illness have soared among young children in the UK, with many reported to be in hospital. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is on the rise - but is showing ‘pronounced increases’ in those aged below 5 years of age.
The UKHSA said people with cold symptoms should avoid visiting newborn babies and other vulnerable groups. The UKHSA said: ”Increasing numbers of infants under 1 year old being seen in hospital emergency departments for bronchiolitis.”
In an update, it said overall RSV cases were on the rise, and emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis increased nationally.
In terms of patient testing RSV positivity rates increased to 3.4% compared with 2% in the previous week overall, hospital admissions doubled to 0.98 per 100,000 compared with 0.42 per 100,000
Dr Conall Watson, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “The latest RSV surveillance is showing increasing cases in children under 5 years of age, as is typical for this time of the year, with increasing numbers of infants under 1 year old being seen in hospital emergency departments for bronchiolitis.
“Vaccination programmes were launched in September to prevent severe RSV in infants and older adults. I would encourage anyone who is 28 or more weeks pregnant to have the vaccine to protect their baby, along with people aged 75-79 years who are also offered the vaccine by the NHS as part of the new programmes.”
Washing your hands regularly and using tissues can reduce the spread of RSV and other viruses. People who are unwell with colds should try and avoid visiting newborn babies and other vulnerable groups.
Since 1 September 2024, pregnant women have been offered RSV vaccination around the time of their 28 week antenatal appointment. Having the vaccine in week 28 or within a few weeks of this will help build a good level of antibodies to pass on to their baby before birth. This will give the newborn baby the best protection, including if they are born early. Those who turn 75 and those age 75 to 79 are also eligible for a free NHS vaccine to protect them from RSV.
The NHS says RSV infections are not usually serious, but some babies and adults have a higher risk of getting seriously ill, particularly:
babies under 6 months old
young children who were born prematurely
adults over 75 years
babies, children and adults with a weakened immune system, or long-term lung or heart conditions
people who smoke tobacco and babies exposed to tobacco smoke
Most people only get cold-like symptoms, such as:
a runny or blocked nose
a cough
sneezing
tiredness
a high temperature – signs include your back or chest feeling hotter than usual, sweatiness and shivering (chills)
Babies with RSV may also be irritable and feed less than usual.
If RSV leads to a more serious infection (such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis) it may also cause:
a cough that gets worse
shortness of breath
faster breathing or long gaps between breaths
difficulty feeding (in babies) or loss of appetite
noisy breathing (wheezing)
confusion (in older adults)
For more information from the NHS click here.