Rise in winter virus cases in Jersey

Shekiel's mum said RSV could have a lasting effect on her son's health

Figures show a sharp rise in the number of people with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in Jersey this winter.

RSV usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but can lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

Data from Jersey's Public Health Department shows 201 people have had the virus so far this winter, the highest number in at least six years.

The figures show there were 172 known cases in the winter of 2022/2023 and 138 in the previous year.

There were fewer than 100 confirmed infections in the three winter seasons before the coronavirus pandemic, but cases have risen year on year since.

'The scariest thing'

Emma's son Toby was taken to Southampton Hospital and put on a ventilator after he caught the virus in 2021 when he was about six week's old.

He has since made a full recovery.

"It was literally the scariest thing I have ever had to cope with," his mum said.

"I felt so helpless, because he was so little.

"When he was on the ventilator I could not even hold him - you just feel so out of control.

"It took a long time for us to actually feel like we weren't in survival mode.

"It sounds a bit dramatic, but we were just constantly on edge."

She said a recent trial of an antibody treatment was "amazing".

Toby caught RSV when he was six weeks old

"Even if it wasn't available for everybody, I think if it was available to the babies who were most at risk it would be life changing for so many people."

The Harmonie study involved 8,000 children up to the age of 12 months, with half receiving a single dose of the monoclonal antibody treatment nirsevimab.

The trial involved children in the UK, France and Germany.

The study said hospital admissions from the virus could be reduced by more than 80% if babies are given a single dose of the new antibody treatment.

Another mother in Jersey has also welcomed the results of the trial.

Kelly's son Shekiel spent time on Robin Ward in Jersey in 2021 when he was 11 weeks old.

The two year old has since had RSV for a second time and his mum said it could have a lasting effect on his health.

"Unfortunately the coughing has not completely gone away," his mum Kelly said.

"We've been back to the doctors and they do think now, potentially, he has been left with asthma.

"That is really quite upsetting.

"Seeing him go through it twice has been awful."

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