Health officials are worried about how quickly RSV is spreading, particularly with concerns over flu and COVID cases also rising this winter, and in Illinois, the number of pediatric intensive care unit beds is dropping quickly.
The Illinois Department of Public Health told NBC Chicago Monday that pediatric ICU beds are almost full across the state with only 4% availability statewide.
"We’re being kind of overwhelmed by the RSV cases. We’re probably at about three to five times our usual normal cases," said Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, chief operating officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health.
RSV cases are spreading so quickly that patient beds are almost full at Cook County's Stroger Hospital.
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"We’re kind of reaching our capacity," said Hasbrouck. "Maybe not accepting patients, maybe not accepting transfers and things like that, so we’re bracing ourselves for all of that."
Other hospitals in Cook County are also worried about running out of beds for RSV patients.
"Because we are all at capacity, the ability to flex is a little less because we’re all so full," said Dr. Tina Tan with Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
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Lurie Children’s Hospital is working to flex and add beds to accept more patients from other hospitals.
"Illinois is down about 30% in regard to pediatric beds. There are a number of hospitals that have completely closed their pediatric units," said Tan.
The problem is not just in Cook County but across Illinois.
"We continue to be extremely worried and monitoring the RSV situation very closely. Only 4% of the pediatric intensive care unit beds across the state of Illinois are available," said Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The Illinois Department of Public Health said some children are being sent to hospitals in other states.
"Especially individuals in our border cities, sometimes that care might be easier to be transported to a neighboring state. But, we work very hard with our hospital partners to monitor that bed availability," said Vohra.
Hospital officials also say the situation is made worse by a pediatric nursing shortage nationwide.
Experts are urging anyone who is eligible to get a flu vaccine and COVID booster shot.
"I strongly recommend all that have not gotten full protection from COVID-19 and the flu to get vaccinated right away. Both the new COVID-19 bivalent booster and the flu shot target the current strains of these viruses," Vohra said.
