Most RSV infections are in babies less than 1 year old. But protection remains out of reach for many [Video]

Most positive tests for RSV so far this season in Canada have been among the youngest, federal data says. And while Health Canada has approved an immunization that can protect all babies from the illness, it’s only available in a few jurisdictions. 

For the week ending Nov. 30, about 51 per cent of RSV cases were in those one year of age and under, among those with age information.

RSV usually causes a minor cold, but it can cause severe illness in vulnerable groups. Older adults and newborns are among those most at risk, and it’s a leading cause of seasonal hospitalizations each winter for children in Canada.

About 10 per cent of all hospitalizations due to RSV require pediatric intensive care, said Dr. Jesse Papenburg, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. 

Nirsevimabis made by AstraZeneca and distributed in Canada by Sanofi, under the name Beyfortus. The single injection protects infants through the fall and winter when RSV circulates …