AUSTIN (KXAN) — In June, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issued a health advisory warning Texans about an upward trend in RSV cases across the state.

As we near the end of July, local Central Texas hospitals are continuing to see an increase in RSV patients.

According to DSHS, RSV typically occurs during the fall and winter months when the flu and cold are most common. However, it appears RSV has taken on a new season in 2021 as public health measures related to COVID-19 have become less restrictive.

Dr. Sadie Wyrick, medical director of the pediatric emergency department at St. David’s Children’s Hospital says “Normally, cough and cold season is in the middle of winter, and COVID just pushed everything back.”

As a result, St. David’s Children’s Hospital states it has seen a significant increase in RSV cases, and data collected through the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) supports what St. David’s is experiencing.

According to this data, Central Texas began seeing a rise in positive RSV tests beginning in May and has continued to climb into July with nearly 90% of RSV tests given returning positive.