WARNING: Tipperary parents urged to be vigilant following 'major peak' in RSV among children

Parents in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary are being urged to be vigilant and aware of their children’s symptoms, following “higher rates” of bronchiolitis and young children being hospitalised.

As there is an increased incidence of bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), The Department of Public Health Mid-West and UL Hospitals Group are urging parents to be vigilant.

Provisional data suggests there have been more than 200 cases of RSV in the region since the beginning of October - resulting in a number of hospitalisations.

A highly contagious respiratory disease, RSV is mostly mild in adults and older children, but can cause bronchiolitis in young babies, which may lead to breathing and feeding difficulties, and result in hospitalisation.

One of the leading causes of bronchiolitis, RSV is a common chest infection in babies and young children. It can also be serious and life-threatening for older adults, individuals with weak immune systems, as well as for children who are premature or have chronic heart and lung disease.

Dr Marie Casey, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at Public Health Mid-West, said the rates of RSV are higher than those normally recorded at this time of the year.

“While most cases will be mild, this can have a disruptive impact on life at home, parents who are working, and a domino effect of potential outbreaks in childcare services and crèches.”

If you suspect your child has symptoms of a cold or flu, please keep them at home until they are feeling better. We want to minimise the impact this might have on our busy daily lives, and hospital services, should a child require care,” she advised.

According to provisional Computerised Infectious Diseases Reporting (CIDR) data, there have been 206 confirmed cases of RSV in the Mid-West region since the start of October. As more than 50% of laboratory notified cases have been hospitalised nationally, there is increased pressure on health services.  

The Paediatric Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) is currently managing much higher attendances of infants with respiratory illnesses than ever before.

Dr Barry Linnane, Paediatric Respiratory Consultant at UHL, said that RSV is coming earlier this year as the data suggests a major peak.

“We urge parents of children with symptoms not to let them mix with other people, or to allow infants to mix with anyone who has those symptoms. It’s very difficult to manage in this particular age group, but it’s imperative that we do what we can to limit the spread of RSV to protect our children and minimise pressure on the hospital system,” he commented.