Illinois pediatric ICUs are in severe condition due to RSV and flu.

Illinois pediatric ICUs are in severe condition due to RSV and flu.

Chicago, IL (CBS) Due to an increase in pediatric flu cases and ongoing RSV infections, physicians are advising families to take extra precautions with their Thanksgiving preparations. The respiratory virus that causes the most dangerous illness in young children is RSV or respiratory syncytial virus. Statewide, there are still not enough pediatric ICU beds.

The Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago had a massive inflow of patients this past weekend due to both viral illnesses, as CBS 2's Tara Molina reported on Monday. Having had her child sent to the hospital with RSV, Kaelyn Bogucki told us in October that "every parent should be hyper-aware this is a very real illness that's hitting harder this year."

Flu is currently contributing to the surge in cases across the region as RSV, the respiratory virus that affects small children the most seriously continues to haunt hospitals and pediatric wards. Doctors claim to be overworked. For the first time since March 2020, an ER visit for influenza-like sickness has overtaken one for COVID-like illness, according to a Cook County Department of Public Health spokesperson.

Although there are encouraging signals, such as a decrease in RSV emergency department visits, the hospital system is still under pressure and there are relatively few pediatric beds available in the area. For the first time since March 2020, influenza-like illnesses led to more emergency room visits than COVID-like illnesses. The influenza season this year is predicted to be the worst this decade if present patterns continue. All eligible suburban Cook County residents are urged by CCDPH to be immunized against the flu and booster shots against COVID-19. For further details, go to BoostUpCookCounty.com."

The following statement was issued by the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Overall, pediatric healthcare professionals continue to see a lot of children with respiratory diseases. Although it seems like RSV numbers are decreasing, influenza infections are now on the rise. All Chicago residents aged 6 months and older are urged to receive the flu shot.

From our Respiratory Virus Weekly Surveillance Report, statistics for the week ending November 12, 2022, are provided here.

1- RSV-related visits to the emergency room among children under the age of five have dropped from 9.2% to 8.5%.

2- From 17.4% to 14.7%, the test positive for RSV has dropped.

3-For the third week in a row, fewer kids were admitted to the hospital with       RSV each week.

4- The amount of influenza activity is currently higher than it was during the peak season in 2021–2022.

The availability of pediatric beds has decreased to 5% statewide, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The IDPH favors having a capacity of 20%. This past weekend, capacity was reached at a number of hospitals, including Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge. However, a spokeswoman assured us that no patients were turned away. RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is currently down at Advocate Children's, yet flu cases are skyrocketing there.

While pediatric flu is on the rise while RSV is on the wane, the situation this weekend was not much different than it has been in recent weeks. Advocate Children's Hospital-Park Ridge was once again "full" this weekend owing to the respiratory surge, but no children were turned away.

Similar growth is being observed at the NorthShore hospital system. A spokeswoman claimed that over the past two months, they had been busier than normal due to an increase in RSV flu cases.

At Evanston Hospital, we have a special pediatric unit with 11 beds (we do not have a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). The hospital stated, "Over the past two months, we have witnessed an increase in RSV and influenza A cases, equivalent to other systems throughout the state as reported to IDPH."

Dr. Allison Bartlett of UChicago Medicine outlined the circumstance at Comer and provided information she believes families should prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.

We had a brief respite this past weekend, but otherwise, our level of activity has been unmatched. However, despite that brief respite, a combination of RSV and flu patients were seen in large numbers at Comer Hospital's emergency room this past weekend.

Thankfully, the majority of those patients didn't require hospital admission, but Dr. Bartlett warned us, parents, to be aware of these rises around Thanksgiving. It's time to consider your goals and how to make them as secure as possible, Bartlett advised. Certainly, anyone showing signs of respiratory infection should stay home.

With RSV and flu outbreaks on the rise right now, the experts we spoke to on Monday underlined the value of receiving both flu vaccinations and COVID boosters. At six o'clock, municipal and county health authorities will provide further information on this outbreak.