RSV season starts early in Minnesota, North and South Dakota

(St. Paul, MN) -- Health care officials say the winter respiratory disease season is starting early in Minnesota.

Emergency room workers say their departments are getting slammed with a high volume of RSV and flu cases that are filling hospital beds, especially in pediatric wards.

The latest state figures show that Minnesota's pediatric intensive care and general pediatric department beds are near capacity.

South Dakota and North Dakota are also experiencing an early surge in RSV cases, as health care officials say pediatric intensive care units are at or near capacity in both states.

Officials say it's not clear yet how severe the RSV season will be. The virus typically surges in January and February.