RSV cases rise as doctors raise concerns over "tripledemic"
SACRAMENTO – Doctors are warning northern Californians about a possible winter surge from several respiratory illnesses known as "tripledemic."
While COVID and influenza cases remain low, a spike in respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, among children on the East Coast is alarming parents.
Juan Castro never lets his guard down around his daughter.
"I'm making sure she's always washing her hands," said Castro, the father of a two-year-old.
Doctors say RSV cases arrived in the fall -- earlier in the season than expected in the state.
Though, hospital capacity is not on the brink as seen elsewhere in the U.S.
"We're seeing that increase now," said Dr. Dean Blumberg, a pediatrician at UC Davis Health. "We're just not sure when it's going to peak."
The rise in RSV cases and the expected surge of COVID and flu cases means a tripledemic could be likely in the months ahead.
What are doctors seeing now?
Yolo County told CBS13 that COVID hospitalizations and the flu are down, therefore hospitals are not strained.
Meanwhile, Sacramento County officials say hospitals are always impacted this time of the year from the flu and other illnesses.
"Most people who contract coronavirus or the flu do not need to visit a hospital emergency department and can recover from their illness at home or by seeking primary care treatment," said Samantha Mott, a spokesperson of the Sacramento County Department of Health Services Department of Child, Family and Adult Services. "The community can do their part to help reduce the impact to hospitals and ensure EDs are available for those in need of critical care in the following ways: get vaccinated, if eligible, get a booster shot, and reserve use of hospitals for emergency care only."
So, what is partly fueling this tripledemic?
Infection rates fell following social distancing and masking.
So, did immunity.
"Watching the symptoms is far, far more important than worrying about the label of which virus is causing the problem," said Dr. Ken Hempstead, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente.
Staying current on shots for COVID and the flu will help protect you from a serious illness.
But there is no immunization for RSV.
Though, experts also say hand hygiene goes a long way.
Whatever may come, some parents say they have adapted better to health precautions in recent years.
"What it's done is kind of shown us, 'Hey, the unpredictable can happen,'" said Jason Daniels, a father to a 13-month-old boy. "So make sure that you're building your body up as much as possible."
