LOS ANGELES — Some California children’s hospitals are straining under a surge of RSV, a respiratory illness that can cause babies to struggle to breathe.
At least three major children’s hospitals say they have experienced either a strain or a stretching of resources because of RSV. The illness normally peaks in winter, and doctors say it’s unusual for there to be such high levels in October.
The increase in RSV, which stands for respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, comes amid a rise in other respiratory illnesses in California, including the flu.
