'We just have to be a little bit more careful': pediatrician says Manitoba's going through bad RSV year

Children's Hospital in Winnipeg

Data suggests the flu may have peaked in Manitoba, but a pediatrician says the province is going through a bad RSV year and warns parents of young children should be aware.

The latest data from the province released Friday, shows Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is circulating more than influenza.

During the week of Jan. 1 to Jan. 7, the RSV test positivity rate was at 10.6 per cent, while the test positivity rate for influenza A was 2.8 per cent – a drop compared to the 6.0 per cent test positivity rate the week prior.

“There will be bad RSV years and not so bad RSV years and it all sort of wanes from year to year,” said Dr. Grant MacDougall, a community pediatrician in Winnipeg.

The RSV test positivity rate did drop slightly since the last week, but RSV detections were up to 164.

MacDougall said what makes RSV worse right now is bronchiolitis.

“What that does is, you know, for you and me we get a cold, but for a little baby particularly under one year of age they get quite wheezy and they work to breathe.”

He said bronchiolitis from RSV is what is leading to more children in intensive care.

This echoes concerns from Shared Health warning RSV-related hospitalizations at Health Science Centre's children's hospital continue to surge.

On Wednesday, Shared Health said in a news release that 17 pediatric patients were in intensive care, with 28 patients admitted to hospital during the week ending on Jan. 6.

“While test positivity rates suggest Influenza A may have peaked in our province, RSV-related illness continues to surge,” Shared Health said in a news release on Wednesday.

MacDougall said the kids to watch out for the most are those under three months old.

“If the child has a fever and cough less than three months of age, they should be seen right away because we don’t like a fever in a little one.”

He added if children are also wheezy and struggling to breathe, they should be taken for a visit to the doctor.

If kids are a little older and have a cough, MacDougall said they should be monitored, but it can probably be managed at home.

To prevent RSV, MacDougall said people have to follow the same steps as if they were trying to prevent the flu, wash your hands, avoid physical contact and keep surfaces clean.

“We just have to be a little bit more careful with each other because we know viruses tend to make us sick.”

Looking at influenza numbers, the province added the deaths of four more people, which brings the total number of influenza deaths to 54. Along with this, the province said 12 people were admitted to hospital, none, however, were admitted to the ICU.

“Overall, influenza activity this season started to increase earlier than would be expected and is now within expected level for this time of year,” the province said Friday.

On the COVID-19 front, 125 new cases were identified and there was a weekly test positivity rate of 10.3 per cent. The province saw 38 COVID-related hospital admissions, including seven to the ICU. The province said January wastewater surveillance data shows COVID-19 activity in Winnipeg and Brandon continues at lower levels.