Health Department Reports First Death of Young Child from Respiratory Syncytial Virus

From the Health Department:

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL – The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is reporting the first pediatric death attributed to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) of the 2024 surveillance season.

RSV is a highly contagious virus that can cause severe respiratory illness, particularly in infants and young children.

RSV activity has been increasing over the last four weeks in McHenry County.

The current transmission level is classified as moderate, which means there has been increased respiratory illness activity, though it is not yet at the peak for the season.

RSV is currently rising in the 0-4 age group, while emergency department and inpatient visits among adults aged 65 and older remain low. This low level of RSV transmission in older adults is attributed to the effectiveness of the RSV vaccination, which offers protection against severe illness.

While RSV generally causes mild, cold-like symptoms such as congestion, a runny nose, irritability, decreased appetite, and fever, it can lead to more severe respiratory symptoms in infants. Severe symptoms of RSV in babies can include short, shallow, and abnormally fast breathing, a wheezing cough, nasal flaring, difficulty feeding due to breathing difficulties, unusual tiredness, a blue tint to the lips or fingernails, and fever. Parents and caregivers should seek medical care immediately if they notice these severe symptoms.

RSV spreads through droplets from coughs, sneezes, or contaminated surfaces. To help prevent the spread of the virus, it is important to cover coughs and sneezes, practice good hand hygiene by washing hands regularly, and clean frequently touched surfaces. It is also essential to avoid close contact with infants, such as kissing, when sick. Infants can contract RSV from family members or siblings who may have been exposed to the virus at school or daycare.

There are ways to protect your loved ones from severe RSV. For infants under one year of age, a preventive antibody called Beyfortus (nirsevimab) is available, which provides protection against severe RSV illness. This antibody is administered to newborns and babies under 1 year of age born during or entering their first RSV season. It can be given alongside routine childhood vaccines. For more information, visit beyfortus.com.

Additionally, the RSV vaccine ABRYSVO is recommended for pregnant women during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy. An RSV vaccine is also recommended for adults 75 years of age and older, as well as those aged 60 to 74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV. The vaccine has proven effective in reducing RSV transmission and preventing severe illness, particularly in vulnerable populations, including McHenry County’s elderly. For more information, visit abrysvo.com.

The McHenry County Department of Health continues to actively monitor RSV trends throughout the season and urges all eligible residents to get vaccinated and take preventive measures to protect themselves and others.

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So far, the Department refuses to release the age of the child that died.