ANN ARBOR (WWJ) – C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor is dealing with a surge of respiratory syncitial virus (RSV) cases, leaving the hospital short on pediatric beds and postponing some procedures.
As the hospital is inundated with cases of RSV, officials are urging families to call primary care providers before bringing their kids to the emergency department.
Mott has seen 259 cases of RSV so far this season, a 46% increase over 2021 – when there was still mask-wearing and social distancing. And officials are expecting even higher volumes as flu season continues, possibly coinciding with another spike in COVID-19 cases.
“We have never seen a surge in pediatric respiratory viruses like this before. Our hospital is 100 % full,” said hospital CEO Luanne Thomas Ewald. “This is incredibly concerning because we haven’t even seen the full impact of flu season yet.”
Kimberly Monroe, M.D., M.S., interim chief clinical officer and pediatric hospitalist at Mott, says the vast majority of children with RSV experience cold symptoms and are able to rest and recover at home.
But if they’re showing any signs of severe illness – including trouble breathing – they may need immediate care and should be brought to the ER, according to Monroe. She says health officials are particularly concerned about children under the age of two.
Ewald said Mott is exploring several strategies to ensure that every child who needs a pediatric hospital bed gets one. But those who do come to the Mott emergency department may be forced to wait several hours, due to the high volume of cases.
“We're working very closely with our partners around the state to find space for children who need care even if it’s not at our hospital. We're also looking at unique ways to increase our bed capacity during the surge,” Ewald said.
Mott isn’t the only hospital seeing a surge in cases of RSV, as many hospitals across the state and country are near capacity due to the spike.
Last week a 6-year-old Metro Detroit boy died due to complications of RSV as the area sees a spike in cases.
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