KMBC 9: Doctors say there's an unprecedented summer surge of childhood respiratory syncytial virus

By Alan Shope

Doctors say there’s an alarming surge right now in childhood respiratory syncytial virus cases. RSV is a virus that usually doesn’t spread in large numbers until winter.

Reported cases right now are already above what doctors say a typical winter peak would be.

Morgan Pritt says the experience of caring for a child with RSV has been both emotional and scary. Pritt’s infant child, Dean Pritt, recently dealt with a bout of RSV.

“It was to the point where he was waking up in the middle of the night from his sleep, just cause he couldn’t breathe,” Pritt said.

Pritt initially didn’t know what her son was battling. She feared it might be COVID-19 and rushed him to the doctor.

“It has a lot of the same symptoms as COVID-19, especially in young children,” Children’s Mercy Hospital Dr. Jennifer Schuster said.

Hospitals say they saw very little RSV last year, thanks in part to mask mandates. Cases usually start to spike in the winter. This year an RSV spike has started unprecedently early.

“It’s really unusual because most of us can’t ever remember seeing RSV in the summer,” Dr. Schuster said.

See the full story via KMBC 9

Dr. Schuster shares what parents should know about RSV