What is RSV? Symptoms, complications and when parents should seek medical help

Published

1 year ago

November 22, 2023

admin

RSV circulates in the UK every winter, typically starting in October and peaking in December or January.

The virus, which mostly affects young children, is normally mild. But it can develop into a more serious illness and require hospital treatment.

During the past two winters, cases were higher than usual after pandemic measures in previous years suppressed cases – meaning children had much lower immunity.

Here is what you need to know.

What is RSV?

RSV is short for respiratory syncytial virus.

It is a very common virus and most children will have had it by the time they are two.

However, it can reinfect older children and adults may also catch it. Older adults are particularly at risk of complications.

What are the symptoms of RSV?

Most children infected with RSV will only experience mild symptoms, including:

• runny nose
• decrease in appetite
• coughing
• sneezing
• fever
• wheezing

These symptoms usually come in stages, rather than all at once. In very young children, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.

What are the possible complications?

RSV can cause a chest infection called bronchiolitis, which mainly affects children under two.

It is usually mild and can be treated at home, according to the NHS, but it can be serious.

Bronchiolitis is not the same as bronchitis, which causes a cough with lots of mucus and can affect people of all ages.

The symptoms of bronchiolitis include:

• breathing more quickly
• finding it difficult to feed or eat
• noisy breathing (wheezing)
• becoming irritable

Symptoms are usually worst between days three and five, and the cough usually gets better in three weeks, the NHS says.

Some children have a higher risk of getting seriously ill with bronchiolitis, including children born very prematurely, those with a heart or lung condition or a weakened immune system.

About 3 in 100 babies with bronchiolitis will need hospital treatment, according to Asthma + Lung UK.

RSV results in 20 to 30 infant deaths per year in the UK, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

When should you seek treatment?

The NHS advises parents to call 999 or go to A&E if any of the following happens:

• your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
• there are pauses when your child breathes
• your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
• your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake.

Parents should ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if any of the following happens:

• your child has had a cold and it’s getting worse
• your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
• your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more, or shows other signs of dehydration
• your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38C or more, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39C or higher
• your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
• your child is very tired or irritable.

What treatment is available?

There is no specific treatment for RSV and instead treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms.

The anti-viral drug ribavirin has been licensed for treating RSV and is sometimes used in severe cases, but its effectiveness has not been established.

At home, symptoms of RSV and bronchiolitis can be treated with child paracetamol or ibuprofen. Saline nasal drops may make it easier for them to breathe, and feeding babies upright can also help.

In hospital, a child with bronchiolitis may be given extra oxygen. If they are struggling to feed, they may be given food or fluids through a feeding tube. They may also be treated with nasal suction to get rid of excess mucus in the nostrils.

Is there a vaccine?

A vaccine to prevent RSV in infants and toddlers, Beyfortus (nirsevimab), was approved by the UK’s medicines regulator in November 2022.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also approved a vaccine, Arexvy, for people over 60 in July.

But the vaccines are not yet available as part of a national immunisation programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said in June that a cost-effective RSV immunisation programme should be developed for infants and older adults – but there was no timeline for when it might be brought in.

UK

UK winner of EuroMillions scoops £177m jackpot

Published

25 mins ago

November 27, 2024

admin

UK winner of EuroMillions scoops £177m jackpot

A UK ticket-holder has won £177m in the EuroMillions draw, making them the third biggest National Lottery winner ever.

The winning numbers were 07, 11, 25, 31 and 40, with Lucky Stars 09, 12.

No one has come forward to claim it yet, and players have been urged to check their tickets as soon as they can.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ adviser at Allwyn, operator of the National Lottery, said: “Wow, it has been a truly incredible night for a single UK ticket-holder who has scooped tonight’s jaw-dropping £177m EuroMillions jackpot!

“The win has landed them a spot on the National Lottery’s Rich List, as they have become the third biggest National Lottery winner of all time!

“What a wonderful win right before Christmas, and we cannot wait to pay out this amazing prize.”

An anonymous UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195m – the biggest National Lottery win ever – on 19 July 2022.

The second-highest winners are Joe and Jess Thwaite, from Gloucester, who scooped up a then-record £184.3m on 10 May 2022 with a Lucky Dip ticket.

UK

David Coote: FA investigating allegations referee discussed giving yellow card before match

Published

25 mins ago

November 27, 2024

admin

David Coote: FA investigating allegations referee discussed giving yellow card before match

The FA has launched an investigation into allegations that suspended Premier League referee David Coote discussed giving a yellow card ahead of a match.

Mr Coote booked Leeds player Ezgjan Alioski during a match against West Brom in October 2019.

The Sun claims that the day before, he discussed carding the player with a Leeds fan he had met online, then after the game messaged him saying: “I hope you backed as discussed.”

Mr Coote insists nothing improper took place.

He said in a statement: “I strongly refute these false and defamatory allegations.

“Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life they have never affected my decision-making on the field.

“I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability.”

An investigation has now been opened to get to the bottom of the claims surrounding the already-suspended referee.

Previously, a video emerged showing Mr Coote snorting a white powder.

That came after another video showed Mr Coote in a foul-mouthed rant about Liverpool FC and their then-boss Jurgen Klopp.

After the most recent allegations, a spokesperson for Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) told Sky Sports News: “The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations.

“We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our Integrity Code of Conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis.

“PGMOL Board is committed to taking the appropriate action should any breach of that Code be proven.

“David Coote remains suspended and subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, separate to the investigation into this matter which will be carried out independently by The FA.”

It added: “We will be making no further comment at this stage.”

UK

Davina McCall feeling ‘stronger and stronger’ after brain tumour surgery

Published

1 hour ago

November 27, 2024

admin

Davina McCall feeling 'stronger and stronger' after brain tumour surgery

Davina McCall has said she is feeling “stronger and stronger” every day after having brain tumour surgery.

In an update posted to Instagram, the TV presenter emphasised the importance of sleep during her recovery after having a benign brain tumour, known as a colloid cyst, removed.

Sporting a bruised left eye, McCall said she is being “brilliantly” looked after by her boyfriend, hairdresser Michael Douglas, and stepmum Gabby and is “just trying to sleep a lot” and “get better”.

Earlier this week, the star said she was suffering with short-term memory problems, due to the operation. But on Wednesday, she said that her memory is now “improving”.

“My short-term memory is really improving a lot every day,” she said, adding: “It has been an example to me of how much sleep helps me recover from everything.

“If I feel a bit confused or I’m struggling to concentrate, I just got to sleep, and I wake up just completely renewed and refreshed.

“I know that my brain needs lots of sleep.”

The 57-year-old ended the update by thanking fans for their “ongoing support”.

‘Out of the woods’

Speaking during a livestream on Tuesday, McCall’s partner Douglas said the star is “definitely out of the woods” during her recovery.

“She’s quite tired at the moment. She sleeps really well at night and goes to bed at 10pm and has a nap in the morning, and sleeps for two or three hours in the afternoon,” he said.

He added that the presenter is off work until mid-January and has “a lot of time to relax and recuperate”.

Douglas told fans: “It’s been a very, very emotional and quite an incredible experience. We’re definitely out of the woods.”

McCall rose to fame presenting on MTV in the mid-1990s, and later on Channel 4’s Streetmate, before becoming a household name as the host of Big Brother from 2000 to 2010.

She has lived with Douglas since 2022, and together they present a weekly lifestyle podcast called Making The Cut.