RSV is on the rise in Canada. Here’s what you need to know about the virus. (Photo via Getty Images)
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle.
Respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV, is on the rise in Canada.
And while the virus is typically known to affect children, adults can also become infected.
Recently, several U.S. hospitals have reported being “overwhelmed” by a surge of children’s RSV cases. Now, Canadian emergency rooms are starting to see an increase in the contagious virus. But how does that affect adults?
In an interview with Yahoo Canada, Laurie Schwartz, an independent respiratory researcher at Healthcare Alliance, says that the current rise in RSV cases is “troubling.”
Can adults get RSV?
“It’s so contagious, and we usually see it in children because they’re in public spaces like schools where it’s really easy to spread the virus,” explains Schwartz.
“…However, adults can just as easily be carriers of the virus and spread it to their children or someone else’s children, and so a downward spiral ensues,” she adds. “Many adults may have the virus without knowing it because it hits adults milder, and thus we brush it off as no big deal. But to children, it’s more serious.”
Despite being known as a children’s virus, RSV can also affect adults too. (Photo via Getty Images)
RSV in Canada: The need-to-know
The Public Health Agency of Canada has noted a high number of cases in much of the country (particularly in Quebec) during a time when many Canadian hospitals are already struggling with long wait times and capacity issues.
The agency’s most recent Respiratory Virus Report stated that RSV activity “is above expected levels for this time of year.” The cases are only predicted to grow as the country enters its first cold and flu season without COVID-19 measures and restrictions.
Read on to learn more about RSV, its symptoms, and how you might be able to prevent the virus.
RSV activity “is above expected levels for this time of year,” according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. (Photo via Getty Images)
Although RSV can affect anyone of any age, it’s most common in infants and children. In fact, it’s so common that by the age of two, most infants and children have been infected with some form of RSV.
RSV can be life-threatening, especially for infants and older adults with a history of congestive heart failure, asthma or other breathing issues.
However, it’s usually a mild condition that goes away on its own. If the virus persists, it can lead to more serious health issues like pneumonia or bronchitis — the inflammation of small airways in the lungs.
“In my career I have seen loads of children with RSV, and for the most part it’s fairly manageable. However, that doesn’t mean we should relax about it. If a child has never really been sick before, you just never know how they may react to the RSV virus,” says Schwartz.
RSV outbreaks tend to begin in the late fall and run until the early spring. However, cases tend to peak during the winter months.
“With cold and flu season on the way, and with less and less people wearing masks, I can absolutely see how RSV cases are surging,” adds Schwartz. “…And that goes for adults too, wear your masks, wash your hands, because you might also be a carrier of the virus.”
Runny nose and sneezing are common symptoms of RSV. (Photo via Getty Images)
What are the symptoms of RSV?
As per the Canadian Lung Association, the RSV virus mostly causes mild cold-like symptoms including runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, coughing and fever.
Additionally, there are warning signs that may mean a patient has a more serious case of RSV. If you or someone you know exhibits any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention right away:
Blue lips or fingernails
Wheezing
Rapid breathing or having troubles breathing
Deeper or more frequent coughing
Dehydration
In infants, difficulty breastfeeding or bottle feeding
“If the case is mild, symptoms usually last one to two weeks. But if coughing is involved, it can take longer to curb the virus,” Schwartz explains. “As the symptoms are so similar to the common cold, it can be hard to differentiate RSV from other conditions.”
One of the only ways to treat RSV is through at-home supportive care, such as rest and hydration. (Photo via Getty Images)
How is RSV treated?
“In most cases, RSV will go away on its own without any special medical treatment,” says Schwartz.
Additionally, RSV is not treated with antibiotics because they do not work against viruses. However, if you or your child develops pneumonia or bronchitis, they may need to be treated by a healthcare professional, given oxygen, or take other medicine to open up the airway.
One of the only ways to treat RSV is through at-home supportive care, such as rest and hydration.
How can I prevent RSV?
As RSV tends to occur in various outbreaks during the fall and winter months, it can be difficult to prevent someone from getting the virus — especially children.
Children’s settings such as day-care centres and preschools are higher-risk locations, and because the virus can stay on surfaces for hours, it is easily passed from person to person.
That said, there are ways to reduce someone’s risk of getting RSV.
Make sure you frequently wash their hands with soap and water
Do not go out if you feel sick, or avoid people who are sick
Do not share items that could easily pass germs, like cups, cutlery or clothing
Immediately throw used tissues in the garbage
Wear a mask
“There are very basic things that we can do to help prevent RSV, like washing our hands and staying home when feeling unwell, but not everyone puts them into practice,” Schwartz says. “This year, more than ever, please take precautionary measures for you and other people’s health.”
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.
The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.
Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.
“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”
The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.
A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.
Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.
“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.
Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.
The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.
“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.
Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.
The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.
“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.
Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.
Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.
A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
All orders are protected by SSL encryption – the highest industry standard for online security from trusted vendors.
Bizarre Sunlight Loophole Melts Belly Fat Fast! is backed with a 60 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee. If within the first 60 days of receipt you are not satisfied with Wake Up Lean™, you can request a refund by sending an email to the address given inside the product and we will immediately refund your entire purchase price, with no questions asked.
