Pediatric viral trends in Wisconsin – Dec. 13

Children’s Wisconsin, along with pediatric hospitals across the country, continues to see large numbers of children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Below is hospital census information to help our community better understand how respiratory illnesses, including RSV, influenza (flu), COVID-19 and other viruses, are impacting kids locally. As the only health system in Wisconsin dedicated to the health of kids, Children’s Wisconsin has the largest pediatric intensive care unit in the state.

This week’s takeaway

“The number of kids hospitalized at Children’s Wisconsin with RSV continues to decrease, while the number of kids hospitalized with the flu is increasing. Overall, viral spread in the community remains high. Families should continue to stay home from school and work when sick, and get vaccines to help protect themselves and those around them, especially as the flu is on the rise.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded use of the new Omicron COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for kids as young as 6 months of age. This is an encouraging step as vaccines for the flu and COVID-19 not only decrease the chance of hospitalization, but limit the impact to families when a child does get sick.

While the average number of kids seen in the Children’s Wisconsin Emergency Department and at urgent care locations has decreased, volumes are still higher than past years. We expect volumes to remain high through the holidays. For families wondering if their child needs to see a doctor, or if they should go to urgent care or the Emergency Department, we encourage them to use the Children’s Wisconsin symptom checker.

Our number one priority remains helping the families and kids who need us. We continue to have capacity to care for the sickest kids in Wisconsin. That wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated staff and providers. While we take pride in our ability to care for kids, no one wants to see a child in the hospital.”

Rainer Gedeit, MD
Acting chief medical officer, Children’s Wisconsin
Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics (Critical Care), Medical College of Wisconsin

For more information and data on respiratory viruses in Wisconsin, please see the Wisconsin Department of Health Services weekly Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report.

For more information and data on respiratory viruses in the United States, please see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS).

Any questions? Please contact your physician liaison.

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