Amid the sharp spike in adenovirus cases among children in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday held an emergency meeting with the Health Department officials at Nabanna, following which an advisory has been issued for the state’s hospitals and medical staff for handling such cases.
In the advisory, the state health department asked all the medical colleges, district hospitals and the children’s department of the block-level hospitals to remain open for 24 hours.
In order to reduce the pressure on the outpatient department, the health department said separate pediatric ARI clinics will be opened at all MCHs, DHs, SSHs, SDHs and SGHs in the state, which will remain open for 24 hours.
No pediatric case will be referred without the permission of the Superintendent, it said, adding referral cannot be done unless a bed is ensured at the destination hospital.
It further instructed all hospitals to keep ventilators ready and asked Superintendent and Nursing Superintendent to personally check their operationality on daily basis.
Along with this, the Health Department also issued a 24X7 helpline number–1800-313444-222.
It also asked health officials to take steps for the generation of awareness on isolation and protection of children from crowds, public places and on use of masks.
ASHA Workers, Urban ASHA Workers/Honorary Health Workers will be sensitized on alert signs. Regular training on critical care of paediatric ARI cases will be organized by the concerned, it said.
The government said five hospitals– Dr. B C Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Sciences, CNMCH, NBMCH, Bankura Sanmilani MCH and Malda MCH developed during the Covid pandemic shall mentor the spoke hospitals.
“Sensitization of private hospitals and private practitioners should be organized at every level,” it added.
Deaths Due To Adenovirus in Bengal
As many as five children have died at different hospitals in Kolkata in the last 24 hours fuelling fears of growing incidences of Adenovirus in the state, the West Bengal’s health department official said on Tuesday. Out of the five children, two were undergoing treatment at Kolkata Medical College and Hospital while three others were treated at the Dr B C Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Sciences.
Doctors are, however, unsure whether the deaths were due to the infection.
“All of the five children died due to pneumonia. We are still waiting for the test report on a nine-month-old to confirm whether she died due to Adenovirus or not,” the official told PTI.
What is Adenovirus
In children, Adenovirus usually cause infections in the respiratory and intestinal tracts.
According to doctors, children between ages 0-2 years are considered most vulnerable to the infection, while those between 2-5 years are vulnerable and those between 5-10 years also have a chance of being infected.
Older children above 10 years are less susceptible to the virus, they said adding precautions should be taken as most of the cases are manageable and treatable at home.
Talking to News18, Dr Agnimitra Sarkar, a paediatrician, said the situation is concerning as more and more children are getting affected.
“Most of the time parents are considering it to be normal flu and when the situation starts deteriorating they are coming to hospitals. It’s high time that schools should come up with guidelines. Masks should be a must for children now in school. They should be asked to use sanitiser, and social distance should be maintained,” the doctor said.
Many parents have stopped sending their children to school amid the rising cases.
“I am concerned about my son, therefore am not allowing him to go to school now as the situation is not conducive,” said Avirupa Ghosh, who has a 6 years child.
Schools in Kolkata are yet to issue any guidelines regarding the matter.
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