Rates of sudden unexpected infant death changed during the COVID-19 pandemic

Rates of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the immediate pre-pandemic period, according to new research led by a team from the Penn State College of Medicine. The pronounced increase in SUID cases correlated with a resurgence of seasonal respiratory viruses, particularly RSV, suggesting that the shift in SUID rates may be associated with altered infectious disease transmission.