A prominent paediatrician on Sunday urged people to take more precautions against a common virus known as RSV, saying cases of illnesses caused by respiratory syncytial virus may be underestimated.

RSV typically causes cold-like respiratory symptoms, but in serious cases can lead to pneumonia and bronchiolitis – particularly in young infants or people with weakened immune systems.

Mike Kwan, president of the Asian Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases, said approximately 70 percent of infants catch the virus before they turn one, because their developing immune systems aren’t strong enough to stave off the virus.

Dr Kwan said rigorous hygiene can help protect children from infection.

"As this virus contracted by what we call the contact route, so the virus will adhere to the surfaces of our surrounding objects. This is why we need to wash our hands very thoroughly before touching our own mucosa, including the eye, the ear and also the nose," he said.

The expert says expectant mothers can also opt to get vaccinated against RSV, which would protect their children for around six months from birth.

Other types of antibody therapies can help protect children even after infection, he said.

“Other protective measures include what we call monoclonal antibody. This antibody can in fact tackle the virus after the infection and this antibody divided into long-acting and also short-acting antibodies.

"What we are using currently is the short-acting antibody...we need an infusion of this antibody every month and there's more newer advanced method of protection is the long-acting monoclonal antibody and it just requires one injection and this injection can protect the baby for up to half a year," he said.

Kwan said research shows that infants who contract RSV before turning one are more likely to develop asthma later in life, demonstrating the importance of preventing such infections.