The increase in cases of bronchiolitis is usually observed in Reunion during the hot and humid season. This year, it arrived earlier. From September 23 to 29, 47 babies were treated in the emergency room.
From September 23 to 29, 2024, the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years old was increasing:
• 47 visits to the emergency room compared to 35 the previous week;
• 16 hospitalizations compared to 11 the previous week.
This highly contagious respiratory illness can be mild in adults (similar to a cold), but it can cause significant difficulty breathing in infants.
When the child is sick:
• Regularly clear his nose with physiological serum,
• Ventilate his room and be careful not to cover him too much,
• Do not expose it to tobacco smoke,
• Give him something to drink regularly,
• Continue to lay him on his back flat,
ARS La Réunion raises awareness among parents and those close to children: to protect babies, simple actions can limit the transmission of the virus and preventive treatments exist, including a new vaccine for the future mother, since September 2024.
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