A contagious virus particularly affecting infants and children under the age of two is currently circulating in Denmark.

The RS virus affects respiratory tracts and may develop into acute bronchitis and pneumonia.

The infection is typical during the winter months and small children experience it at least once before the age of three, according to Josefine Grade Mann, a paediatrician at Viborg Hospital.

Proper hand hygiene
Symptoms usually develop within a few hours and resemble a cold: a running nose, sneezing, high temperature and coughing.

“We have seen lots of cases and we only get a small fraction here at the hospital,” Mann told DR.

The virus spreads through the air and direct contact and the best prevention is proper hand hygiene.