PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — The Pueblo County Department of Public Health (PDPHE) is reporting that it has recorded its first death due to RSV in the county during 2026.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the first death related to RSV in Pueblo County this year. We send our most sincere condolences to the impacted family and loved ones,” said Randy Evetts, public health director at the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment.
According to the department, the victim was a child under the age of five years old.
RSV or Respiratory Syncytial Virus is a common illness often affecting the victim's lungs. The virus can spread through coughs and sneezes or direct contact with a contaminated surface, according to the department.
Symptoms include the following:
- cough
- runny nose
- congestion
- a decrease in appetite
- wheezing
- sneezing
The PDPHE is recommending that the community, especially older adults and infants six months old or younger, receive an RSV vaccine for protection.
The department says the vaccine is readily available at pharmacies throughout Pueblo, or contact the department by the end of April.
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