Dr. Jiraruj Chomchai, a pediatrician specializing in respiratory and critical care at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, shared an update on the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) outbreak via his Facebook page.
“This week, the children with RSV requiring intubation are incredibly young. The youngest is just 24 days old, followed by another at 30 days. Some infants under two months old need High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC).
The infectious disease ward is full of RSV patients requiring oxygen support, most of whom are under six months old.
RSV is not usually severe in older children. In adults, symptoms are generally mild, such as a runny nose or cold-like symptoms.
However, this makes the virus easy to spread, since it’s difficult to know if an adult or older child with mild symptoms is carrying the infection.
So, wash your hands frequently and wear a mask. If an older child is sick, try to keep them separated from others.”