A Michigan boy has died of respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, at the age of six.
The Oakland County medical examiner’s office ruled the virus as the cause of the boy’s death. A reported 77% of beds in pediatric hospitals are full across the state. A hospital in Massachusetts reported similar numbers, after being at 100% capacity in early October, with a Washington hospital claiming to be at 200% capacity due to an uptick in respiratory viruses.
RSV is transmitted via droplets shared when an infected person coughs or sneezes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People infected with the virus are contagious for three to eight days and the virus can live on surfaces for hours.
CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS STRAINED BY SURGE IN RESPIRATORY VIRUSES
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So far in the 2022-2023 season, the CDC reports 9 out of 100,000 people were hospitalized for RSV. Last week the hospitalization rate was 2.6%, which was over double what it was the same week last year. Over 7,500 people tested positive for the virus last week.
Young children and older adults are at the highest risk for severe infections.
