Alberta Health Services is urging people to wash their hands and use preventative measures against disease spread, as 2 Respiratory Syncitial Virus outbreaks have been confirmed in the Calgary region that includes the Foothills.

RSV is a strain of the common cold virus.  Usually cases of the virus are mild and don't require treatment, however RSV can be dangerous to the elderly population, anyone with a compromised immune system, and especially to infants and young children.

The virus attacks the lungs and causes mucus blockages in children's smaller airways leading to much bigger problems like bronchiolitis or pneumonia.

Medical Officer of Health for the Calgary Zone with AHS Judy MacDonald says RSV is a usual suspect when it comes to respiratory virus season.

"Every year between about October and the end of March or so, is what we call respiratory virus season." Dr. MacDonald says "RSV is always in the line up."

Medical experts are saying that prevention is key, simple actions like washing your hands regularly and trying not to touch your face will help in avoiding the virus.

Regularly disinfecting multi-use items in your work area or homes like telephones, keyboards, and elevator buttons can also help. Dr. MacDonald says if you or your children have the virus it's best to stay home.

"If you are sick with something, coughing, sneezing or have something influenza or RSV like - you should not be going out and in contact with young children, infants, elderly individuals or those who are immune-compromised.  Keep your bugs to yourself, don't go out and potentially transmit your virus to one of these vulnerable people."

Dr. MacDonald also says the term 'outbreak' isn't meant to alarm people, you don't necessarily need a high number of cases to start an outbreak investigation.

"We have a definition that is really is looking only at two or more individuals with influenza like symptoms in a seven day period." Dr. MacDonald adds "The threshold is very low for declaring an outbreak investigation."

The Calgary Zone though has seen two outbreaks of the RSV virus, and 846 confirmed cases since the beginning of the respiratory virus season.