Russell Medical Center has restricted children under 14 from its third floor obstetrics and pediatrics unit to protect its patients and the public from a stronger-than-usual outbreak of a common respiratory virus.

Dr. Eric Tyler of Pediatric Associates said his office has seen more cases of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV. It is a virus that’s seen commonly each winter, and causes symptoms with a wide range of severity from coughing to “babies getting horribly sick, in respiratory distress and nearly dying,” Tyler said.