RSV: Fiocruz warns of the increase in hospitalizations for respiratory infections

The Fiocruz InfoGripe Bulletin, released on Thursday (25), shows the increase in hospitalizations for respiratory infections across the country, mainly due to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), influenza A and rhinovirus.

Despite indicating a reduction or stability at relatively low levels depending on the region of the country, Covid-19 continues to be the main cause of death from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) among the elderly.

The coordinator of the Infogripe Bulletin, Marcelo Gomes, highlights that among children up to two years old, cases of Covid-19 are already less frequent than those caused by RSV. This virus already accounts for 57.8% of the total recent SARS cases identified as a respiratory virus.

“The Respiratory Syncytial Virus mainly hospitalizes young children, although we also see a certain volume associated with hospitalizations due to RSV in the elderly. We also observed the risk of death in the elderly, an important factor”, she points out.

Prevention

Gomes warns of the relevance of vaccination, especially now that the campaign against influenza A, the flu virus, is underway.

Caroline Andrade, pediatrician at Hospital Santa Helena de Brasília, from Rede D’Or, explains that RSV prevention is similar to those adopted to prevent Covid-19.

“Avoid closed and crowded places, send children with flu-like symptoms to schools or daycare centers until the condition is resolved, avoid contact between these children and adults with flu-like symptoms and correctly clean hands and surfaces”, he informs.