As influenza activity becomes widespread in Iowa, infants and the elderly are especially vulnerable to one respiratory virus.

The latest flu report from the Iowa Department of Public Health states that the predominate non-influenza virus is respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, with a total of 221 positive cases in the state in the last week. Guthrie County Public Health Director Jotham Arber says RSV is a common respiratory virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms. While most people recover in a week or two, it can be serious for infants and older adults, “Over the last few years we have seen quite a few cases of RSV. We’ve seen some people come in thinking they have flu in their kiddo and it is RSV. It can be very deadly because it can stop their lungs from working like they need to, and so it’s something that shouldn’t be taken lightly and you should be seeing a clinician immediately for something that you would suspect to be RSV in a child under two.”

The state’s flu report shows that 30% of RSV rapid tests have returned positive, while 24% of influenza rapid tests have been positive. Arber says some ways to prevent the spread of RSV are to wash hands often, cover your coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect surfaces, and to stay home when you’re sick.