The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday there has been a troubling rise in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common cold-like virus, across the country. Several children’s hospitals told CNN that they have been “overwhelmed” with cases at a time when it is unusual to have a surge of RSV patients.

In Connecticut, the situation is especially dire. Connecticut Children’s Medical Center has been in contact with the governor and public health commissioner to determine whether it should bring in the National Guard to expand its capacity to care for the young patients.

“I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve been at Connecticut Children’s for 25 years, and I’ve never seen this level of surge specifically for RSV coming into our hospital,” Dr. Juan Salazar, the hospital’s executive vice president and physician-in-chief, told CNN.

The CDC says that most children will contract RSV before they are two years of age. While it is a highly contagious disease, it doesn’t normally cause serious illness. The exceptions are elderly people, those who have chronic lung or heart disease or a weakened immune system. In addition, RSV is particularly dangerous for premature infants, newborns, and children with a compromised immune system and those under age 2 with chronic heart and lung conditions.

There is no vaccine available for RSV to date, and the treatment consists of plenty of fluids and rest. The potential danger occurs when RSV turns into bronchiolitis, in which small airways become inflamed and congested, triggering pneumonia. In this case, a child may need to go to the hospital to receive supplemental oxygen or be put on a ventilator.

According to CBS News, RSV symptoms are similar to a cold, but doctors warn that parents should watch for signs of respiratory distress, including if their child’s nostril are flaring while breathing, or if the skin on their chest is pulling towards their ribs. Already hospitals in 33 states are seeing a dramatic rise in RSV patients and cases have more than doubled in 25 states, putting a strain on hospitals with some facilities so overwhelmed they are running out of beds.

To avoid getting RSV, the CDC recommends the same preventative measures we have been following for COVID-19 protocols. These include washing hands often with soap and water, avoid touching your face, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces such as toys, doorknobs, and mobile devices. When people infected with RSV touch surfaces and objects, they can leave behind germs.

According to CNN, many adults don’t know they have the illness. RSV is often spread between siblings and in daycare centers where children share toys — and germs.

If your child is coughing and appears to be lethargic, it is a good idea to visit your pediatrician. The doctor’s office can better determine if the child has RSV, the flu, COVID-19, or other illness.