Pediatric viral trends in Wisconsin – Nov. 29

Children’s Wisconsin, along with pediatric hospitals across the country, has seen an increase in patients with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Each week, Children’s Wisconsin will provide hospital census information to help our community better understand how respiratory illnesses, including RSV, influenza, 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

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.

“We hope everyone safely enjoyed time with family last week, and we thank the hundreds of Children’s Wisconsin providers and staff who spent their holiday caring for the kids who need them.

As expected, we are starting to see a rise in children coming to us with the flu. With vaccination rates for flu lower than normal this year, and having just had Thanksgiving gatherings, we expect this number will continue to rise. At the same time, we have not seen a noticeable decrease of kids in the hospital with RSV. We continue to manage capacity on a case-by-case basis, allowing us to care for the sickest kids in the state who need our specialized care. Families who need to seek care should expect longer than normal wait times, as the number of families coming to our Emergency Department and urgent care locations continues to be high.

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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