Arizona continues to see elevated levels of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
In the most recent report available, for the week ending Feb. 18, 165 cases of RSV were reported, bringing the seasonal total to 1,012. Of those cases, 93 percent have been reported in children younger than 5.
RSV is a respiratory virus that mimics a cold, but is troublesome to young children because of the amount of mucus produced and because of the small size of their airways.
Though the numbers may not reflect all cases of RSV since some do not get reported, Arizona is still far below last year’s figures at this time — by nearly 60 percent.
Influenza cases in Arizona are also down greatly this year — by more than 97 percent compared to 2010. Health leaders have indicated one reason may be the high number of people who received flu shots in the last few years after the discovery of H1N1.
samkat posted at 6:18 pm on Tue, Feb 28, 2012.
I don't think it is just the young ones. I was recently laid up for three weeks with bronchitis.