Because of RS viruses, even newborns are heading to the hospital. In Prague, the ICU is full
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After years with covid, this year other viruses are getting more of a say again. According to current data The Ministry of Health now has an epidemic of respiratory infections in almost all regions.
For example, the hospital reports a strong wave of RS viruses. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is especially dangerous for the smallest children under two years of age and premature babies. It can cause serious breathing difficulties in them.
For example, Prague’s Motol Faculty Hospital is now dealing with an increase in small patients. According to Jana Tejnická, the head of the Pediatric Clinic, they accept children with both the RS virus and influenza type A or covid. Children with some of these respiratory infections make up the majority of admitted patients. Among them, RS viruses account for about 90 percent of cases.
“Mainly small children under the age of 3 are admitted to the clinic. Older children, if they are not short of breath, can often manage the illness at home. However, we also accept newborns a few days old with RSV, great caution is really necessary here. “The infection occurs after discharge from the maternity ward in the home environment,” the primary teacher described.
The most common disease is a high temperature, cough, and in small children also shortness of breath. Doctors try to treat patients mainly with oxygen therapy (treatment with oxygen inhalation, editor’s note) or fever medicine.
In Motola, they already had to limit the high intake of well-known patients last week due to pressure on beds. As soon as they show an acute improvement, the primary care workers try to send them to home care as soon as possible and make room for others.
“Our ICU is permanently full. After partial improvement of the child’s health condition, we transfer her from the ICU to a standard ward. If the children no longer need oxygen treatment, we will release them to home care for further treatment. We are managing the situation for now. In rare cases, however, last week we asked for help from another Prague hospital. For example, Na Bulovce Hospital accepted about two children,” added the doctor.
Long treatment
With the RSV epidemic, according to information Other European countries are also struggling with the state health institute. It is the cause of lower respiratory tract infections. “RSV infections are not uncommon at this time of year, but this year RSV activity is higher and started earlier than in seasons before the covid-19 pandemic,” the institute said earlier. The infection is most common in children under five years of age, but it can also endanger people over 65 years of age.
According to hygienists the incubation period is usually around four to six days. Patients tend to be infectious for three to eight days, with the exception of immunocompromised people who can shed the virus for up to four weeks.
The General University Hospital is now also noticing the increase in patients. According to spokeswoman Maria Heřmánková, the situation is complicated, but they are managing it for now.
“There are really a lot of children with respiratory diseases. But we are managing the situation. We have eight children’s ICU beds, of which six are occupied. But the situation is changing. Children who are in a severe course of the ward – need oxygen therapy, intensive general and inhalation therapy. Those that do not require ventilatory support are then transferred to ARO. It has eight ventilated beds, of which we currently have three available,” the spokesperson described.
According to her, however, the hospital no longer has too many options for expanding the pediatric bed capacity for such sick children. “I want to make arrangements with other facilities and, where possible, to arrange transport for the children,” he adds.
Bulovka University Hospital describes the situation similarly. According to spokeswoman Eva Libigerová, the most common cases of MS are also caused by the RS virus. “The children are short of breath, they need oxygen therapy, inhalations, phlegm extraction and the like. If there is no bacterial infection, we do not administer antibiotics,” she added about the treatment.
For now, however, the Liberec Regional Hospital reports a calm situation. There, according to the spokesman Václav Řičár, they only have units of patients due to respiratory diseases in the children’s inpatient ward.
“So we manage most of the matter at the children’s emergency room, where the patients are also tested, so that it is clear what they come with, and the medicine is determined. But it’s not like we have to accept them because of their condition. Parents usually manage it in home care,” he added.
At the Brno University Hospital, although they perceive an increase in small patients, they still accept new ones. “RS viruses greatly affect, for example, children with already weakened immunity due to another chronic disease. We are also now registering an increased incidence of RS viruses in patients, but we still manage to receive them. The incidence is across the child population, including small babies,” added spokeswoman Veronika Plachá.
Reporting of acute respiratory infections (ARI)
Relative morbidity per 100,000 population by age
Acute respiratory infection | 0-5 years | 6-14 years old | 15-24 years old | 25-64 years old | 65 + | In total |
Czech Republic | 7284 | 4294 | 3277 | 1044 | 957 | 2343 |
Change (%) | 31.01 | 37.94 | 32.73 | 32.49 | 38.9 | 33.58 |
Complications (%) | 2.92 | 1.73 | 0.71 | 0.74 | 1.42 | 1.59 |
Source: SZÚ, 50th week of 2022
The State Health Institute and hygiene stations have been reporting an increase in respiratory infections for several weeks. It is children under the age of five who now form the group with the greatest disease. A number of hospitals have also limited visits due to the situation in the region.
At the same time on Monday, the Ministry of Health reported that the situation is already epidemic in most regions of respiratory diseases. The number of sick people for the last week reached the value of 2343 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which represents an increase of 33.6% compared to the previous week. He expects a further increase in sick people in the coming weeks. And that in all age stories.