A 10-year-old boy has been admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata after testing positive for Covid-19. Doctors said the child is in stable condition and is being closely monitored.
The boy, a resident of the Garia area on the southern outskirts of Kolkata, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday with fever, cough and shortness of breath. A swab test confirmed Covid-19 infection, following which he was shifted to the ICU isolation unit.
Pediatrician Dr. Saheli Dasgupta said the child had been suffering from fever, cold and cough for the past three to four days. An X-ray revealed signs of pneumonia in his right lung, while the viral test confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
She said that since Covid-19 is a viral illness, the child is being managed with supportive treatment, including nebulisation, rather than antibiotics. His mother has also been placed in isolation, and doctors are planning to test her for Covid-19.
According to Dr. Dasgupta, the child's condition remains stable and he is under round-the-clock medical observation.
The doctor urged people not to panic, noting that fever, cough and cold are common among children during the monsoon season. She added that although fresh Covid-19 cases have been reported in parts of the country, most infections are mild and hospitalisation rates remain low.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 cases have been rising in several states. In Andhra Pradesh, 12 people tested positive for Covid-19 between June 26 and July 16, while four patients with underlying health conditions died.
As the infected individuals were reported from four districts, the state's health department sent samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, to identify the circulating variant. Experts suspect that a new Omicron sub-variant, known as "Cicada," could be contributing to the recent increase in infections.
Pune has also reported a rise in Covid-19 cases over the past 10 days. Doctors said most patients have only mild symptoms but advised people to remain cautious.
Health experts also noted that influenza A and H1N1 infections tend to increase during the monsoon. They advised people experiencing fever, sore throat, cough or difficulty breathing to undergo testing promptly.
With Inputs From IANS
