RSV surpasses Covid-19 in child deaths, points out InfoGripe Bulletin

The increasing circulation of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) has generated a significant increase in the incidence and mortality of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in children up to two years of age, surpassing deaths associated with covid-19 in this age group in the last eight epidemiological weeks .

RSV accounts for 57.8% of the total number of recent SARS cases identified as a respiratory virus. Other respiratory viruses that deserve attention in young children are the rhinovirus and Sars-Cov-2.

The data was published in the Fiocruz Infogripe Bulletin (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz), in Rio de Janeiro, this Thursday (25).

Among the total number of deaths, the growth of influenza A means that the percentage associated with this virus begins to approach that observed for covid-19 in the last four weeks. Despite this, Covid-19 still has a large prevalence in mortality among the elderly, which is also the age group that stands out most in relation to deaths from SARS.

Prevalence

In the last four epidemiological weeks, the prevalence among cases testing positive for respiratory viruses was influenza A (23%), influenza B (0.4%), respiratory syncytial virus (57.8%) and Sars-CoV-2 /Covid-19 (10.7%).

Among the deaths, the presence of these same viruses among the positive ones was influenza A (32%), influenza B (0.3%), respiratory syncytial virus (10.8%), and Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 (53.9%).

Researcher at the Scientific Computing Program (Procc/Fiocruz) and coordinator of InfoGripe, Marcelo Gomes highlights the importance of vaccination, which is being campaigned against influenza A, the flu virus, and the use of appropriate masks (N95, KN95, PFF2) to anyone who goes to a healthcare facility and anyone who has symptoms of a respiratory infection.

“The Infogripe update continues to point to an increase in the number of new hospitalizations for respiratory infections across practically the entire country. And this is happening, at this moment, fundamentally because of the RSV virus, which hospitalizes especially young children. And, in addition, the flu virus itself, the influenza A virus, we also see a clear rise across the country”, said the researcher.

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