Cold-Weather Virus Surprises Doctors, Worries Parents

A virus that usually sickens children during cold weather months has surprised doctors and put many babies in the hospital in the United States.

The virus is called RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus. It is a common sickness that is like the common cold. But the virus can also cause severe sickness in babies and old people. Cases of RSV dropped sharply last year, when people mostly stayed at home and avoided busy areas during the COVID-19 health crisis.

But RSV cases began increasing as pandemic restrictions¹ eased.

"I've never seen anything like this before," said Dr. Kate Dutkiewicz. She is medical director at Beacon² Children's Hospital in South Bend, Indiana. "I've never seen cases in July, or close to July,'' she added.

She recently treated two babies who were infected with RSV. Both needed oxygen treatment to help them breathe.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a health advisory³ on June 10. It warned of an increase in RSV cases across parts of the southern United States. Cases have appeared in other areas, too.

LaRanda St. John became worried when her 6-week-old son, Beau, developed a bad cough. She suspected RSV when she saw that he seemed to be struggling to breathe easily.

"The doctors' office couldn't get me in because they were flooded with people calling" about children with similar symptoms, St. John said.

A medical test at the hospital confirmed Beau had RSV. The baby developed an above normal heart rate and had to be hospitalized overnight. His 16-month-old sister, Lulabelle, also got the virus but was not as sick and did not need to go to the hospital.

St. John said at first she thought her children might have COVID-19 because it is the wrong season for RSV. "I can't say I was relieved, because I know RSV is just as bad," she said.

In the United States, RSV leads to 2 million doctor visits each year, 58,000 hospitalizations and up to 500 deaths in children under the age of five. That is higher than the estimated number of children affected⁴ by COVID-19.

Among adults aged⁵ 65 and older, RSV causes 180,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths yearly.

Cases in children and adults usually develop in the autumn through early spring. Off-season cases of RSV reported in Australia were a sign that the same might happen in the United States, said Dr. Larry Kociolek. He is an infectious disease specialist with Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago.

Babies are usually exposed to RSV during the first year of life. Often older children in the family become infected at school and bring the virus home, Kociolek said. Because of stay-at-home orders and social distancing during the pandemic, young babies and children were not exposed to the virus as much as usual last autumn and winter.

"That just leaves a much larger proportion of susceptible⁶ infants," Kociolek said.

In infants, signs of RSV may include increased crying, poor feeding, a high body temperature and a lack of energy.

In infants and in babies born earlier than expected, the virus can cause small airways⁷ in the lungs to expand and fill up with thick fluid. Babies who develop this condition, called bronchiolitis, may require hospitalization and oxygen treatment.

Kociolek said the recent rise in cases during summer months could be partly the result of more testing because of COVID-19 fears. In normal times, parents may dismiss RSV signs as nothing especially serious. But now, parents fear their children could have COVID-19

RSV can spread through contact with drops of liquid in the air from an infected person. But it is most likely to spread through contact with surfaces or objects touched by someone with the virus. RSV is much more likely than the new coronavirus to remain on skin and other surfaces.

Words in This Story

cough -–n. to force air through you throat with a short loud noise because you are sick

symptom –n. a change in the body or mind that shows that a disease is present

relieve –v. to make something less serious

expose –v. to be affected by something; to experience something

proportion –n. the relationship between the size, number or amount of two or more things

susceptible –adj. easily affected, influenced, or harmed by something

infant –n. a very young child; a baby

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 beacon   

n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔

参考例句：

• The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
• The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。

3 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。

7 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。