by Louise Doyle
THIRTY-two children in Donegal were hospitalised or attended Letterkenny’s Emergency Department in October with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Figures provided to the Donegal News by the HSE reveal the highest number of cases were among children aged between one to four years (20).
There were 12 cases of the virus notified in children aged from 0 to 12 months.
The HSE said no cases of the virus were notified among children aged five years and over in October. A spokesperson said the figures do not represent the total number of RSV cases among children in the county.
“The figures represent those cases that were hospitalised or attended ED and, therefore, were diagnosed by the lab. They do not represent the total number of RSV cases within the entire child population of Donegal County.”
RSV is a highly contagious respiratory disease, which generally occurs between October and April, with cases peaking in December. It is the main cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in very young children.
RSV can also be serious and life-threatening for older adults, individuals with weak immune systems, and children who are premature or have chronic heart and lung disease.
Initial RSV symptoms in children include a runny nose, a slight fever and a cough but can develop into rapid or noisy breathing and vomiting after feeding.
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