In recent days we have had an increase in the number of circulating virus cases, where especially pediatric care has shown an increase due to seasonal viruses that anticipate winter.
According to figures from the Institute of Public Health (ISP), this 2023 there have been 4,131 cases of respiratory viruses, which means an increase of 37.3% compared to the previous year. This is due to increased circulation of influenza A and B, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, rhinovirus, and metapneumovirus.
And it is that during the last week of April 1,219 infections were reported, a figure that increased to 1,585 in May. Compared to the previous year, we have experienced double the number of people infected in the same period. For April and May 2022, 4,195 cases were registered, while this year the figure rose to 8,502.
Our Region of O’Higgins has not been alien to this reality, where a scenario similar to that of the country has been presented at the Regional Hospital, explained Dr. Marco González, Winter Campaign Manager of the Bernardo O’Higgins Regional Hospital (HRLBO) “yes we have to compare the number of visits this year in relation to 2019 (prior to the pandemic), for example, we can say that as of May 2019 we had around 5,000 consultations in the emergency service and this year we have more or less 5,400; In other words, we can say that there is a 10% increase in the number of inquiries. The vast majority of these consultations are respiratory ”, he indicated.
Along these lines, he explained that in the circulating viruses “usually comes the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Metapneumovirus, Parainfluenza Virus, Influenza virus. In the pre-pandemic winter campaigns, RSV generally came first, then influenza 1 or 2 months later. Now the situation has been presented a little differently in terms of the fact that the peak of the respiratory symptoms was brought forward by at least 15 days or maybe a little more”.
VRS THE MOST FREQUENT VIRUS
The specialist indicated that “The virus that is most frequently found in children is RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) which generally affects children under 2 years of age, especially those under 6 months of age. These little ones normally start with a respiratory condition characterized by coryza (runny nose) and in 1 or 2 days a cough appears that increases. Within the first 3 days there may be low-grade fever, not higher than 38.5, and a cough that becomes manifest after the second or third day that increases and crises around the fifth day, which is the worst moment. for Respiratory Syncytial Virus”.
In this context, Dr. González said that “When our boys are getting sick with respiratory symptoms, we can have an observation period the first few days and if we do not see them with great respiratory distress on the fifth day, we can be calm and not necessarily take them under control.” , because if I see him breathing well, he is eating well, he is in good spirits, he may have a runny nose or a cough, we can handle that and we do not need to consult urgently. Conversely, if we are close to the fifth day and the child is having a lot of respiratory distress, breathing rapidly, sinking in between or under the ribs, the wings of the nose open each time he breathes, these are signs of respiratory failure, there do not hesitate to consult the Emergency Service immediately ”, he remarked.
Along these lines, the Winter Campaign Manager of the Bernardo O’Higgins Regional Hospital (HRLBO) revealed that “Almost 50% of the children who are hospitalized are even under 3 months of age. The other 50% are between 3 months and 2 years old, and a smaller percentage of children who may be children who have a history of obstructive bronchitis or are asthmatic who can also be used for RSV, these may already be children over 2 years,” he stressed.
In order to deal with the increase in consultations in the Emergency Department, the HRR took the following measures, indicated Dr. González “for this increase in consultations, we need to reinforce the number of Human Resources personnel that we have available for that and the hospital. Then we have to consider that from this greater number of consultations, we have a greater number of admissions, so I have to have more availability of beds, then the Pediatric Service reconverts beds and its usual endowment can be almost doubled for what there is to Hire more staff and train those staff to manage these respiratory patients.”
The other point of crisis, indicated the specialist “is when of this greater number of hospitalized patients, there is a significant number that may require ICU beds and mechanical ventilation; there the Hospital has a strategy that is innovative, because it is the only hospital in the country that performs it, which is to provide ventilatory support with a device called nasal bubble CPAP, this non-invasive device can be administered to children in the Pediatric Services early and with that one reduces the number of hospitalizations in the ICU”.
AN UNCERTAIN PANORAMA YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF
Regarding the scenario that we may see ourselves facing in terms of pediatric respiratory diseases, Dr. Marco González indicated “If this winter campaign is going to go beyond the usual canons, we do not know, what we can say for now is that it has been advanced, but the peak may be within the usual numbers and we will be able to withstand it in good shape in our country and in our region”.
The doctor ended by giving recommendations to parents to avoid contagion in children “I can avoid contagion by not exposing my child to contact with another sick patient, if I have to go out to a place where there will be a lot of people around, it is preferable to avoid that, avoid sudden changes in temperature, have them vaccinated with the influenza vaccine as it prevents death from influenza, every year there are deaths from influenza in both pediatric patients and adult patients and it is unlikely that I will die if I am vaccinated ”.
