Authorities in the Western Cape Health Department have sounded a warning about respiratory infections among children, which have risen in the past month and are expected to continue to increase during winter.
Over the past month, more than 50% of pneumonia cases admitted to Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital have been attributed to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and a Cape Town school has now advised parents to send children to school with face masks, to reduce the possibility of infections spreading.
Provincial department spokesperson Byron La Hoe said although RSV was not routinely tested for, it was currently at its peak circulation in the country.
“We know from the children in the paediatric ICU with RSV pneumonia/bronchiolitis that it is present and particularly problematic at this time of year.”
IOL reports that from 1 January until 26 May, the department had recorded 524 cases of flu, 642 cases of RSV, 139 cases of SARS-CoV-2 and 24 cases of Bordetella pertussis.
The rise in infections had prompted Heideveld Primary to recommend that parents send their children to school with masks.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Kerry Mauchline clarified that the decision to reinstate masks was not a directive from the department but a precautionary measure by the school’s management to prevent illness and ensure students did not miss upcoming exams.
“No student will be sent home for not wearing a mask.”
The department dismissed reports of a new Covid variant but recommended taking necessary precautions.
IOL article – Western Cape school reintroduces masks as RSV cases increase (Open access)
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