Michigan health officials confirmed this week that a 6-year-old boy died after complications from RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus.
The boy is said to be a young man from the Detroit area.
Hospitals around the country have seen an alarming rise in RSV cases in recent weeks, particularly among children. The virus causes flu-like symptoms such as runny nose, cough, fever and loss of appetite, but infants and the elderly (65 and older) can develop more severe cases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We’ve seen a 500% increase in positive tests,” said Dr. Matthew Denenberg, chief of pediatrics at Corwell Health East in Michigan.
of CDC He notes that RSV-related deaths are mostly uncommon.
“Very, very few children die from RSV, and the children who get sick like this are usually children with underlying diseases,” Denenberg added.
The pediatrics department at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York is working even harder than usual.
“We’re providing a lot of support, often requiring respiratory therapy — sometimes steroids, sometimes breathing machines like ventilators until the virus clears itself,” said Dr. James Schneider, chief of pediatric critical care at Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
Anita Giam’s 3-year-old daughter, Ella, has been receiving treatment for RSV at Cohen Children’s since Sunday and had to be on a ventilator.
Giam told “GMA” she’s trying to stay positive.
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“I’m trying to keep her in high spirits,” Gayam said. “No one wants to see their child in this situation.”
There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for RSV in the US. Similar to a vaccine that provides a level of immunity to those who receive the vaccine, this injection directly gives antibodies to babies instead of causing them to make antibodies themselves. In short, although it can completely prevent some RSV infections, the real purpose of this antibody injection is to prevent serious RSV infections in children, which can lead to hospitalization.
The disposable injection is not available in the US, but pharmaceutical companies Sanofi and AstraZeneca, which jointly develop the vaccine, hope it will be ready next year. The injection must be approved by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration.