Hospitalization of infants and children with RSV infection rises gradually

The number of hospitalized patients with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is increasing in Korea, with infants and young children aged 0 to 6 years old making up the majority, calling for caution.

On Wednesday, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) called for thorough infection control and adherence to personal hygiene to prevent infections in infants and young children, as the number of hospitalized patients with RSV infection has increased recently.

RSV infection is an acute respiratory infection caused by the respiratory syncytial virus. It is a Class 4 statutory infectious disease that occurs annually in Korea and is mainly prevalent between October and March.

According to KDCA's sample surveillance of 220 hospital-level medical institutions with 200 beds or more nationwide, the number of hospitalized patients with RSV infection was 631 in the week of Nov. 1-4, slightly higher than last year (581).

Most of the 631 hospitalized RSV infection cases this year were among infants and young children. Three hundred and seventy-four patients (59.3 percent) were aged one to six years, 173 (27.4 percent) were aged 0, 31 (4.9 percent) were aged seven to 12 years, and 30 (4.8 percent) were aged 65 or older.

In infants, the disease begins with a runny nose and pharyngitis, followed by cough and wheezing one to three days later, and usually resolves spontaneously. However, in some infants, immunocompromised individuals, and older adults, it can cause lower respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia, so it is important to seek early medical attention and appropriate treatment, the KDCA said.

In addition, due to the nature of the disease, which is spread through respiratory droplets or contact with infected people, it is recommended that workers and infants with respiratory symptoms avoid going to work, school, or hospitalization and rest at home to prevent infection, especially in postpartum care centers and childcare centers for infants and young children.

“Since last year, various respiratory infectious diseases, including pertussis and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which did not have a significant number of cases during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been prevalent in the pediatric and adolescent age group,” KDCA Commissioner Jee Young-mee said. “Respiratory infectious diseases are more likely to progress to severe complications at a younger age, so families should take extra care to ensure that newborns and infants with respiratory symptoms receive prompt medical attention.”