10-year-old Kolkata boy hospitalised with Covid-19; condition stable, say doctors

A 10-year-old boy has been admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata after testing positive for Covid-19, doctors said on July 19. The child’s condition is stable, and he is under close medical supervision.

The boy, a resident of the Garia area in the southern outskirts of Kolkata, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The doctors conducted a swab test, and the report was positive. After learning that the boy was infected with Covid-19, he was transferred to the isolation unit of the ICU.

Pediatrician Saheli Dasgupta said, "The child had been suffering from fever, cold and cough for the last three-four days. An X-ray examination found signs of pneumonia in his right lung. The viral test came back positive for SARS-CoV-2. Since Corona is a viral disease, instead of antibiotics, he has been kept on medical support, including nebulisation. The child's mother has also been kept in isolation. Doctors are planning to test her for Covid-19 as well."

The condition of the child is stable, and doctors at the hospital are monitoring his health round the clock, she said.

The doctor, however, urged people not to panic, noting that fever, cough and cold are common among children during the monsoon season. She said that while fresh Covid-19 cases have been reported from some parts of the country, most infections remain mild and hospitalisation rates are low.

Coronavirus cases are once again rising in the country. In Andhra Pradesh, 12 people have been reported to be infected with Covid-19 between June 26 and July 16. In addition, 4 patients with comorbidities have died.

As the infected persons are spread across four districts, the health department sent samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune to find out which variant is responsible. Experts suspect that a new sub-variant of Omicron, "Cicada" (Cicada), could be one of the reasons for the increase in infections in Andhra Pradesh.

Covid-19 infections are also increasing in Pune. New patients have been identified in the last 10 days. According to doctors, most of the patients have mild symptoms, but doctors have advised caution.

According to doctors, not only Covid-19 but also influenza A and H1N1 infections tend to increase during the monsoon. Doctors advise people to get tested if they have fever, sore throat, cough or difficulty in breathing.

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