A cold-related illness is about to wreak havoc on children this winter. Experts have sounded the alarm bell, urging the population to be extremely vigilant.
As winter approaches, vigilance must be doubled because according to several experts, a cold-related illness is about to wreak havoc on children. It is the respiratory syncytial virus, a lung infection that primarily affects babies and children under two years of age.
While it usually causes only mild cold symptoms, in some cases it can be fatal and lead to pneumonia, bronchiolitis and asthma. “RSV is one of the leading causes of childhood hospitalizations and the virus kills more than 100,000 children each year worldwide”said Professor François Balloux, director of the Institute of Genetics at London’s Global University, whose remarks were relayed by the Sun.
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“It’s a much bigger threat than the Covid”
“It’s a much bigger threat to young children than Covid or seasonal flu”, he warned, adding that the virus was very contagious. Already in the UK, the number of positive tests has increased by 9.2% in the past week. A worrying observation which prompted the health authorities to issue several recommendations in order to avoid a possible spread. They advised, among other things, to stay away from toddlers in case they feel unwell, to use a tissue to contain coughs and sneezes and to wash your hands regularly.
Concretely, the symptoms of this disease resemble a cold. Those who contract it may often sneeze, have a runny or stuffy nose, cough, and have a high temperature. They may also breathe faster or harder, become irritable, or have trouble eating.
It is therefore essential to remain attentive to the slightest change and to consult your doctor in case of doubt. For the moment, no vaccine exists to deal with it, but research would move in the right direction, according to the latest elements disclosed.
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