This year, you probably assumed there would be no more deadly diseases. But, unfortunately, that's not the case. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a deadly virus is rapidly spreading throughout several American states. Sadly, Oklahoma is one of them. Quoting a statement:
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this health advisory to notify clinicians and caregivers about increased interseasonal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity across parts of the Southern United States. Due to this increased activity, CDC encourages broader testing for RSV among patients presenting with acute respiratory illness who test negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. RSV can be associated with severe disease in young children and older adults. This health advisory also serves as a reminder to healthcare personnel, childcare providers, and staff of long-term care facilities to avoid reporting to work while acutely ill – even if they test negative for SARS-CoV-2."
The Facts That Oklahoma Residents Need To Know
It's a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Every year, it puts 58,000 people in the hospital and 100-500 fatalities among young children in the United States. RSV also causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths per year in those aged 65 and over. So, the elderly aren't immune.
The symptoms will be similar to those of a cold in most individuals. However, the illness can be far more dangerous in infants and young children. Here are the symptoms:
- Trouble breathing or pauses in their breaths
- Being unusually upset or inactive
- Cough with yellow, green, or gray mucus
- Refusing to breastfeed or bottle-feed
- A high-pitched whistling or wheezing noise when they breathe
- Signs of dehydration: lack of tears when crying, little or no urine in their diaper for 6 hours.
If you (or a loved one) have Covid-19 symptoms but don't test positive, the CDC recommends getting tested for RSV in Oklahoma. It's worth noting that the advice also applies to neighbouring states like Texas, where the virus is present.
Wearing A Mask Reduces The Spread Of RSV.
Now that most mask regulations are no longer in force in Oklahoma, the risk of RSV transmission has increased dramatically. After all, virus droplets enter your eyes, nose, and mouth when an infected person coughs or sneezes. So by wearing a mask, the chances of catching or spreading the RSV virus are greatly reduced.
Are you concerned about RSV in the state of Oklahoma? Let me know in the comments below. And if you think more people should read this article, share it on social media.
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