NEW RESEARCH STUDY POTENTIALLY LINKS INCREASED INFANT DEATHS TO OFF-SEASON RSV SURGE

A recent study published in the JAMA Open Network suggests a correlation between the rise in sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) and an unusual surge of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 2021. SUID encompasses infant deaths in children under one year old from unknown causes, accidental suffocation, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The CDC reports that approximately 3,700 infants died from SUID in 2022, with 41% attributed to SIDS. Doctor holding baby. ADOBE STOCK IMAGES & “This is an important topic because SIDS and other unexpected deaths are still one of the leading causes of infant mortality, and there’s still a lot unknown,” Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor said in a recent interview with ABC News. Researchers analyzed over 14,000 SUID cases from CDC records, revealing a 10% increase in rates per 100,000 live births from 2019 to 2021. Notably, the highest SUID rates were recorded from June to December 2021, coinciding with an off-season rise in RSV hospitalizations. Mom and sick baby on doctor televisit. FREEPIK.COM “The findings underscore the importance of monitoring infant mortality during and after pandemics and obviously it puts big support...