Arizonans are witnessing a marked increase in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections presently, as state health officials signal an uptick in case numbers that surpasses not only last week's figures but also the five-year average for this period. Drawing on data from the Arizona Department of Health Services, the week of February 2 to February 8 saw 1,173 reported RSV cases, a 5.5% increase from the previous week and notably, a sharp 229% spike from the 357 cases typically reported during this timeframe, as reported by 12News.

The common wintertime virus has crowded hospitals with sniffly and struggling breathers—mainly young children, notes Dr. Vasu Bhavaraju, a pediatric hospitalist at Phoenix Children's Hospital. RSV symptoms can range "anywhere from a runny nose to a cough to a sore throat," Bhavaraju explained, as stated by 12News. Especially when there’s a lot of mucus and phlegm, kids can look like they are having difficulty breathing.

Admissions to hospitals are swelling as RSV tightens its grip, with Dr. Wassim Ballan, division chief of infectious diseases at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, witnessing a recent surge in emergency room visits. According to Ballan's observations relayed to KJZZ, many need hospital care not only for symptom management but also for vital supplemental oxygen.

With the virus's highly contagious nature and similarity to common cold symptoms, older adults and infants find themselves at a particularly heightened risk. Ballan stressed the importance of parental vigilance, saying, "If the parents notice that [their child is] having difficulty breathing, breathing fast, they have a high fever, or if they stop drinking where they're getting dehydrated, then we definitely recommend they contact their pediatrician." As for prevention, both experts chimed in on standard health precautions—handwashing and staying home if ill, as Ballan advised on KJZZ.