Riverside County reports 1st death of child under 4 from RSV-related illness - KTLA Los Angeles

A Riverside County kid nether 4 years aged has died aft contracting a respiratory unwellness perchance tied to Respiratory Syncytial Virus, officials announced Monday.

The sanction of the kid and wherever precisely helium oregon she lived is not being released, but officials confirmed it is the archetypal pediatric RSV-related decease successful the county.

The kid died astatine a infirmary aft a abbreviated illness, officials said.

“(It) underscores the aboriginal onset of what is expected to beryllium an progressive wintertime play countywide for influenza, COVID and different respiratory illnesses,” wellness officials said successful a quality release.

“The nonaccomplishment of a kid is devastating and each of Public Health sends it heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones and anyone impacted by this tragic event,” Geoffrey Leung, nationalist wellness serviceman for Riverside County, said successful the quality release.

He urged parents to instrumentality indispensable precautions to support their children amid an summation successful the flu and RSV successful young children.

Some recommendations include:

• Frequent manus washing
• Covering coughs and sneezes
• Keeping children location erstwhile sick
• Considering utilizing look masks indoors
• Disinfecting often utilized surfaces and spaces

Residents are besides advised to telephone their healthcare supplier and question contiguous aesculapian attraction if a kid oregon anyone is having trouble breathing.

RSV typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but tin beryllium superior for infants and older adults each winter, wellness officials detailed.

RSV play usually lasts from November to March, but it began aboriginal this year, and experts accidental it seems to beryllium affecting much kids than erstwhile seasons. RSV is the astir communal origin of bronchiolitis and pneumonia successful children younger than 1 successful the U.S., Riverside County wellness officials highlighted.

Symptoms tin see shallow oregon trouble breathing, cough, mediocre appetite, listlessness oregon irritability and it tin origin bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

Last week, California reported its archetypal death of a kid nether 5 from flu and RSV.

At the opening of the month, Orange County officials declared a health emergency owed to flu and RSV cases.