LONG BEACH : More Youths Get Virus Causing Pneumonia

A higher number of children are being treated this season for a respiratory virus that causes pneumonia, a Long Beach hospital has reported.

Long Beach Memorial Hospital has admitted about 300 children since late November with respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, a common cause of viral pneumonia among young children through age 5, officials said. The number of cases at the hospital is expected to peak at 350 to 400 this month, up from about 240 cases in the same period last year.

“As RSV years go, this is among the heavier we’ve seen,” said Harris Stutman, director of pediatric and infectious diseases at Long Beach Memorial. About five children with the infection are being admitted daily, he said.

The virus generally is transmitted from adults who show only symptoms of a common cold, Stutman said. No children have died this year from the RSV pneumonia at Long Beach Memorial. Last year, three children who had underlying heart problems died when they contracted RSV, but otherwise healthy youngsters are expected to survive the infection, he said.