Because officials say RSV season will extend later than usual this year, the McHenry County Department of Health has issued a warning to residents about it.
The department said on social media that the county is experiencing a rise in Influenza B, a strain of flu virus, and RSV activity is continuing to spread at high levels in the county.
“RSV activity is most common during the fall and winter months. It is less typical to see transmission remain at high levels into March and April, which is why the Illinois Department of Public Health has indicated RSV activity may continue later into the spring this year,” county health department spokesperson Nick Kubiak said.
Kubiak added the IDPH issued a health advisory Feb. 26 updating for RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus. He said the update extends the end of RSV season from February to March.
RSV has been at high levels in McHenry County since the week starting Dec. 21, according to the county’s respiratory illness surveillance report. Flu, COVID-19 and respiratory illness as a whole, which also are tracked in the weekly reports, were all high the week of Christmas.
For the report covering the week of March 1-7, the most recent available, the level of RSV activity was high, while flu, COVID-19 and respiratory illness activity were at moderate levels.
Despite RSV being at higher levels in the county, emergency room visits for RSV were down 36.4% compared with the previous week, with most visits from people ages 4 and younger, according to the report. Inpatient admissions were down 54.5%.
The health department said people should wash their hands often and clean commonly touched surfaces, stay home and away from other people when they are sick and stay up to date on recommended immunizations.
RSV immunizations are available until the end of March for infants younger than 8 months and children ages 8-19 months who are at risk of severe RSV illness, the department said.
Parents are encouraged to talk to their health care provider for more information. People also can call the health department’s nursing division at 815-334-4500 to schedule RSV or flu vaccine appointments or for more information.