Children infected with respiratory syncytial virus on the rise in Hanoi

At the hospital conditions are crowded, with two or three patients having to share a single bed due to a considerable rise in hospitalisations.

Children infected with RSV now account for about a quarter of the pediatric patients in the department, said Dr. Nghiem Thi Mai Sang, deputy head of the pediatrics department of Thanh Nhan Hospital, adding, the department is currently treating a total of 80 children suffering respiratory problems, with 16 of them infected with RSV.

The number of children admitted to the hospital suffering from symptoms such as vomiting, fever, cough, and diarrhea has increased considerably over the past two weeks.

According to medical experts, this sudden increase can also be blamed on the current climate conditions, making it easier for the virus and bacteria to spread across the community.

Experts share that RSV can cause pneumonia for around half of patients. The incubation period for RSV is around three to six days, whilst the virus can be active in the host’s body for eight days.

If treated quickly, patients can recover within five to seven days without any lingering complications. However, those suffering from underlying medical problems may face fatal issues when struggling with respiratory failure.

Parents need to take their children to hospital early if they display symptoms such as high fever, convulsions, cyanosis, a poor appetite, or breathing difficulties.