The National Paediatrics Hospital has admitted an increasing number of babies infected with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the last two weeks.
RSV causes respiratory tract infections in children.
The hospital said most of the patients being treated at its respiratory intensive care department were infants under six months old who contracted RSV and had to be on ventilators while already having underlying medical conditions or were born premature.
Two-month-old baby N.N.T from Hanoi’s Ha Dong district has to be put on ventilator due to severe pneumonia.
N.N.T’s family said the first symptom the baby had was a cough with phlegm.
When the baby showed signs of breathing difficulties and convulsions, he was hospitalised.
Dr Le Thanh Chuong, head of the Respiratory Intensive Care Department of the National Paediatrics Hospital, said the baby was admitted to the emergency room with rapid breathing.
After a physical examination, doctors found that the baby was very tired with a worsening condition. After three days of ventilation, his condition had improved.
Another four-month-old baby, who was born premature, was transferred from the Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital Ngha An province to the National Paediatrics Hospital after 12 days of RSV treatment without any progress.
The child has made little improvement after several days of being on a ventilator at the National Paediatrics Hospital.
Assoc Prof Le Thi Hong Hanh, director of the Respiratory Centre of the National Paediatrics Hospital, said there were many types of viruses that cause respiratory diseases with RSV being the first on the list.
He said when the seasons changed, the number of children infected with the virus increased because of changing humidity, which helps the virus spread more widely.
According to the National Paediatrics Hospital, in the last month, 40 to 50 children have been admitted to the hospital each day carrying that virus while the number is usually around 14 on normal days.
Hanh said about 50 of the department’s 150 beds were for babies infected with RSV and were isolated in a separate zone to avoid infection.
Doctors at the centre have to transfer cases with milder conditions to other units to admit more cases of RSV which are estimated to double compared to the previous period, he added.
According to Hanh, children under six months old, especially infants born prematurely or new-borns with underlying conditions, contract more severe cases of RSV because of their weak immune systems. — Vietnam News/ANN
RSV causes respiratory tract infections in children.
The hospital said most of the patients being treated at its respiratory intensive care department were infants under six months old who contracted RSV and had to be on ventilators while already having underlying medical conditions or were born premature.
Two-month-old baby N.N.T from Hanoi’s Ha Dong district has to be put on ventilator due to severe pneumonia.
N.N.T’s family said the first symptom the baby had was a cough with phlegm.
When the baby showed signs of breathing difficulties and convulsions, he was hospitalised.
Dr Le Thanh Chuong, head of the Respiratory Intensive Care Department of the National Paediatrics Hospital, said the baby was admitted to the emergency room with rapid breathing.
After a physical examination, doctors found that the baby was very tired with a worsening condition. After three days of ventilation, his condition had improved.
Another four-month-old baby, who was born premature, was transferred from the Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital Ngha An province to the National Paediatrics Hospital after 12 days of RSV treatment without any progress.
The child has made little improvement after several days of being on a ventilator at the National Paediatrics Hospital.
Assoc Prof Le Thi Hong Hanh, director of the Respiratory Centre of the National Paediatrics Hospital, said there were many types of viruses that cause respiratory diseases with RSV being the first on the list.
He said when the seasons changed, the number of children infected with the virus increased because of changing humidity, which helps the virus spread more widely.
According to the National Paediatrics Hospital, in the last month, 40 to 50 children have been admitted to the hospital each day carrying that virus while the number is usually around 14 on normal days.
Hanh said about 50 of the department’s 150 beds were for babies infected with RSV and were isolated in a separate zone to avoid infection.
Doctors at the centre have to transfer cases with milder conditions to other units to admit more cases of RSV which are estimated to double compared to the previous period, he added.
According to Hanh, children under six months old, especially infants born prematurely or new-borns with underlying conditions, contract more severe cases of RSV because of their weak immune systems. — Vietnam News/ANN
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