Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment officials said Monday cases of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have risen sharply, especially among children.

The increased number of cases has taken its toll on the state’s healthcare system, and state Epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy said during a Monday press conference there are a limited number of pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) beds available.

Within the five county Denver Metro Area, department officials have recorded 895 hospitalizations related to RSV. The overwhelming majority of those, 836, have been children. Statewide, there have been 255 RSV outbreaks at schools or childcare facilities, according to state records.

This has put a strain on pediatric ICU resources, leaving only two beds available statewide, officials said Monday. For adults, the picture is better with 170 beds available. 

Scott Bookman, director of CDPHE’s Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response, said Colorado’s hospital system officials are working to add more capacity.

“We are seeing hospitals that primarily serve adult patients offering up their support to our pediatric centers in the state and we are seeing a lot of coordination and movement of patients,” he said. “But there is extreme stress in the pediatric ICU capacity in the state of Colorado right now.” 

The rise in RSV cases coincides with an upward trend of both COVID and influenza (flu) cases. But those diseases are largely preventable, and Coloradans have helped do their part in prevention of the flu, Bookman said. As of Monday, CDPHE reported over 1.5 million Coloradans have been vaccinated against the flu, more than last year at the same time. 

“I thank all Coloradans who have already rolled up their sleeves and gotten this incredibly important flu dose,” he said. “I would encourage anybody who hasn’t gotten it yet, that today is a great day to go get your influenza vaccine.”

It’s also a great day to get a COVID-19 booster, he said, noting it’s the best defense against the omicron variant. Even then, there is still a chance of getting COVID-19, but breakthrough cases are nothing new and it’s still worth getting the vaccine, Herlihy said. 

“The most important thing that the vaccines are doing for us right now, including the new omicron dose of vaccine, is providing protection against severe disease,” she said. “We know that (breakthrough cases are) a risk and a possibility following vaccination.”

Despite promising research and development in RSV vaccines, Herlihy told the Denver Gazette those would likely not be ready until next RSV season. 

It is too early for officials to pin down exactly what’s causing the spike in RSV cases, Herlihy said. 

“We know that influenza was transmitted late in the season last year… and we saw RSV rates really start to increase here in the late summer and early fall,” she said. “There’s really lots of disruption the pandemic caused, and I think we’re really still trying to fully understand all of the underlying factors that go along with that.”

The most effective methods of prevention have largely remained the same for the past two-and-a half-years, and some of the same prevention methods apply for RSV, the flu and COVID-19. Bookman stressed the importance of being smart with your health, and respectful of others’ health, especially during a major holiday week. 

“We need to stay home if we’re sick,” Bookman said. “What can feel like a mild cold for one person can be a very serious illness for someone who is at higher risk, particularly infants or older adults.”