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AHS warns public about spike of serious RSV cold virus

Last Updated Jan 19, 2017 at 11:00 am MDT

PHOTO PROVIDED: ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES.

Alberta Health Services is warning the public about a serious cold virus with the number of people diagnosed on the rise.

So far this season, there have been 14 outbreaks of RSV, with more than 2,000 lab confirmed cases.

In all of last year, there were only nine outbreaks, with 1,300 people sickened.

The virus isn’t much of a threat to the general public, but can be serious for infants and young children, leading to infections including bronchitis and pneumonia.

There is no vaccine against it, so AHS says wash your hands, cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing and stay away from the very young if you think you have a cold.