Pediatric RSV Cases Spiking 呼吸道融合病毒RSV升溫 兒童感染案例增

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of respiratory syncytial virus started rising two months ago. The number of pediatric cases in particular is increasing quickly. National Taiwan University Hospital has seen pediatric RSV cases rise by close to 20 percent, with three to five children hospitalized every day. Doctors say RSV can cause shortness of breath and respiratory distress, and children under two are considered high-risk.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of pediatric RSV cases has increased from 18 to 118 cases a week since September. National Taiwan University Hospital has seen pediatric RSV cases rise by close to 20 percent, with three to five children hospitalized every day. On average, RSV-related hospital stays last five to seven days.

Huang Li-min, Epidemiologist, National Taiwan University Children's Hospital: “Some children require high-flow oxygen or have to be put on respirators in the ICU once they are hospitalized. RSV has been the greatest viral threat to children in Taiwan since September.”

RSV generally strikes between fall and the following spring, and is mainly spread through airborne droplets or contact. The incubation period lasts two to eight days and infection presents with cold-like symptoms such as fever, cough, and runny nose. Due to sputum in the lungs, infected people often find themselves wheezing and eventually end up in respiratory distress. Children under two are considered high-risk.

Chiang Kuan-yu, Doctor, Taipei City Hospital Zhongxing Branch: “Asthma or respiratory discomfort is particularly dangerous for children due to their smaller respiratory tracts.”

Doctors say Taiwan may be hit with numerous infectious viruses this winter including COVID-19, RSV, the flu, and pneumonia, and the death rate increases eight times with compound infections. Therefore, everyone should continue to wear masks and wash their hands frequently.

新冠本土疫情趨緩，不過各種呼吸道病毒卻開始升溫，根據疾管署監測發現，9月以來呼吸道融合病毒，簡稱RSV，兒童感染人數快速增加，從原本每週18例增加到118例，以台大兒童醫院為例，平均每天約有3到5位兒童，因感染RSV住院，平均住院天數為5到7天。

台大兒童醫院感染科醫師黃立民指出：「有些住院以後呢，可能需要使用高濃度的氧氣，或者甚至短期都要使用呼吸器，那就會進加護病房。所以它目前是9月10月在台灣，對兒童威脅最大的病毒之一。」

醫師表示，呼吸道融合病毒好發於秋季到隔年春季，主要是飛沫及接觸傳染，潛伏期2到8天，初期症狀跟感冒很類似，包括發燒、咳嗽、流鼻水等，因肺部痰液增加，呼吸時會有咻咻喘鳴聲，甚至可能發生呼吸窘迫，對2歲以下嬰幼兒有較大威脅。

北市聯醫中興院區醫師姜冠宇表示：「一旦發生有哮喘，或者是呼吸道不舒服的話，其實對這些氣道原本就相對尺寸比較小的小朋友來說，會有更大的威脅在那裡。」

醫師警告，今（2022）年冬天恐怕有多重病毒感染趨勢，除了新冠病毒，還有呼吸道融合病毒、流感病毒、肺炎鏈球菌等都蠢蠢欲動，若爆發多重病毒感染，死亡率最高會增加8倍，提醒民眾仍要戴口罩、勤洗手，不要因為國門解封就鬆懈。