Beginning today, parents who normally drop off their children to a daycare center while they work will not be able to do so. All daycare centers are closed indefinitely in an effort to contain a rapidly spreading RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, a flu-like illness
An update provided by the LBJ Hospital last evening shows that there were 23 children admitted in the Pediatric Ward and 12 were positive RSV cases.
8 had symptoms of RSV but had yet to be identified as positive.
Ten of the admitted patients required assistance with breathing and put on CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure machines.
Though there were plans to open the new Pediatric Ward yesterday to isolate the RSV cases, this was not possible because according to Acting CEO of LBJ Hospital, Dr. Akapusi Ledua, some nurses were sick, which added to the nursing shortage.
The RSV pediatric patients are isolated in one section of the Maternity Ward.
Dr. Ledua says LBJ Hospital and the Dept of Health are monitoring the number of RSV cases and will make a recommendation accordingly on when daycare centers can reopen.
