Amy Schumer has revealed that her three-year-old son Gene was hospitalised with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) last week.
The virus causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract.
“This was the hardest week of my life,” the 41-year-old stand-up comedian wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday (6 November). “Shout out to all the parents going through this right now.”
Schumer said she also missed her Thursday rehearsal for Saturday Night Live due to her son’s deteriorating health.
“I got to be with him the whole day at the hospital and the beautiful humans at @nbcsnl couldn’t have been more supportive,” she said.
“The reason this show is so fun to do isn’t actually the performance or the show itself. It’s getting to spend time with the people there. The cast and the writers of course but the people who are behind the scenes making it run smooth are my favourite.”
“Thank you everyone there and to the doctors and nurses who helped us,” Schumer added.
As per her post, Gene is now doing better and is at home.
Schumer’s story comes as US hospitals have reported being “overwhelmed“ with child patients suffering from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
Though most children catch RSV at some point before they turn 12, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the majority of cases are mild and resemble the common cold.
However, a new surge of the virus has physicians concerned.
RSV is a contagious disease and can spread through droplets released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or if a person touches contaminated surfaces like counters or doorknobs.
It can also spread through direct contact.
According to the CDC, symptoms include runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing. Often the symptoms occur in stages rather than all at once.
The CDC reports that “almost all children will have had an RSV infection by their second birthday.”
An RSV infection can cause more serious health problems, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
Generally the infection does not require hospitalisation, but infants, older adults, and the immunocompromised are more susceptible to its worst symptoms and may require further care.
