RSV cases on the rise nationwide

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Local doctors are warning to keep an eye out for symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus, more commonly known as RSV.

Dr. Doug Carlson, the Medical Director at HSHS St. John's Children's Hospital, said they have seen an increase in kids needing to be admitted to the hospital for RSV. He said the children's Hospital saw 12 kids that needed to be admitted for RSV.

"We don't know how long this is going to last," said Carlson. "The inability to have enough beds for those kids that are sick may go on for a few weeks."

As cases spike, parents of immunocompromised children are especially concerned about their kid's safety. Jessica Wolff has a four-year-old daughter and an eight-month-old son. She says the family had to shut themselves off from the outside world because of concerns that the kids will catch RSV or another seasonal illness.

"My daughter and my son have not met their cousins yet, which is really difficult," said Wolff.

Dr. Carlson says this is an effective way to combat RSV. By limiting your social circle, you are reducing the risk of exposure to outside illnesses.

"That exposure to non-primary caregivers should be limited, and should be limited among caregivers that have colds," said Dr. Carlson. "Be careful with this virus."

Wolff says she always keeps track of medical concerns to make sure she knows which facilities have spots open for her children in case they need medical attention.

"We're just keeping an eye on on PICU beds and pediatric beds in the state and hoping for the best," said Wolff.

Dr. Purvi Bhandari, the Chair of the Pediatrics Department at Springfield Clinic said RSV can be especially hard to prevent because people don't always know if they have it.

"A lot of people may not be aware that they're sick because they're not having fever and they're not feeling fatigued," said Dr. Bhandari. "They think it's just a little bit of a post nasal drip and a sniffle, you know, it could be allergies, or it could be a cold, or RSV."