Local hospitals see uptick in RSV cases

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Local hospitals are seeing an uptick in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases.

"It’s heralding what we might expect to see this late fall and into winter," Dr. John Pederson with Presbyterian said. "Which is why we could really be in for a particularly severe respiratory season, simply because of viruses like RSV."

Dr. Pederson said RSV shows in the form of a cold: runny nose, sore throat and cough. But in high-risk groups, like children under the age of two, it can be severe.

"This is a virus that attacks not only the upper respiratory tract but the lower respiratory tracts, and the airways in young children are very, very small," he said.

Therefore, RSV can cause difficulty breathing. Last week the state reported 19 cases, which might not sound like many, but it’s more than they’re used to seeing this time of year.

The virus spreads through respiratory droplets and can stay on surfaces for several hours.