The Hill The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health alert Tuesday warning about a highly contagious respiratory illness detected especially among young children.
Over the past two years, there has been an uptick of the common seasonal illness, known as parvovirus B19, particularly among kids aged 5 to 9. The CDC said the percentage of positive cases in this age group rose from 15% between 2022 and early 2024 to 40% in June 2024. The CDC has also received reports from doctors noting an unexpected rise in infections among pregnant people. Some of these cases have reportedly led to severe fetal anemia that required transfusions or resulted in pregnancy loss.
The virus, primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets, can spread rapidly in environments like schools and daycares, according the CDC. Cases typically occur in late winter, spring and early summer, with mini-outbreaks happening roughly every three to four years.