There is an alarm throughout Italy for a respiratory virus that is affecting several newborns, many of which end up in hospital.
In particular, four newborns are in intensive care at the Padua hospital, where another 12 children are hospitalized for respiratory diseases related to this syncytial virus. At Umberto I in Rome, 10 children are hospitalized, two of which are in intensive care. The situation is not very different in other Italian regions.
In recent days, the Ferragnez have also raised the alarm, after their daughter Vittoria had been hospitalized in the pediatric ward because of the infection. "If you have small children, be very careful, it is not a disease to be taken lightly," said Fedez.
"An epidemic arrived two months early," said Fabio Midulla, president of the Italian Society for Childhood Respiratory Diseases (Simri). "The virus, if contracted in the first months of a child's life, causes severe forms of bronchiolitis, while in older children and adults it causes mild symptoms".
This respiratory syncytial virus (acronym Rrs) is a viral agent that infects the airways causing cell necrosis especially among newborns.
Unfortunately there is no specific vaccine against this virus, which spreads like Covid therefore can be avoided with precautionary measures such as frequent hand washing, the use of disposable handkerchiefs, masks, distancing from a sick brother.
"Fortunately - explains Midulla - the risk of death in Italy is very low, unlike in developing countries, but the virus can leave permanent damage, starting with the development of adult asthma, which occurs in 50 % of cases ".
(Unioneonline / L)
