Spike in severe cases seen in Florida and Georgia; regional increases usually predict the beginning of RSV season, according to CDC<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Physician\u2019s Briefing Staff HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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WEDNESDAY, Sept. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Doctors are seeing a spike in severe cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among young children in Florida and Georgia, U.S. health officials warned Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent an advisory<\/a> to doctors, noting that regional increases usually predict the beginning of RSV season, “with increased RSV activity spreading north and west over the following 2\u00e2\u0080\u00933 months.” <\/p>\n RSV infections can be quite serious in young children, leading to as many as 300 deaths in those younger than 5 years each year, according to the CDC. About 2 million doctor visits and 80,000 hospitalizations are also attributed to RSV in young kids. RSV-related hospitalizations in Georgia rose from 2 in 100,000 children ages 4 years and younger to 7 per 100,000 between Aug. 5 and Aug. 19, according to the CDC. Most of these hospitalizations were in infants.<\/p>\n A new RSV shot called Beyfortus (nirsevimab) has been approved <\/a>to help prevent infection in babies and at-risk toddlers. The monoclonal antibody is intended for infants younger than 8 months of age. At-risk children can get a second shot up to about 1.5 years old. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also approved<\/a> an RSV vaccine for pregnant women, meant to protect their newborns during the first six months of life.<\/p>\n