KOLKATA: Ahead of the potential third wave, many children are already in hospital with viral pneumonia infection, taking up PICU (paediatric intensive care unit) beds with some needing ventilation support. Most PICU beds in different hospitals in the city are now being currently occupied by children suffering from viral pneumonia.
Viral pneumonia is a virus-triggered infection that causes inflammation of the lungs.
“Half of our 14 bedded PICU is occupied by children suffering from viral pneumonia, four of whom are under ventilation support,” said Institute of Child Health (ICH) associate professor of paediatrics Prabhas Prasun Giri, also PICU in-charge.
Doctors said that influenza à both A and B, RSV, metapneumovirus, para influenza virus — is causing the problem. A good number of the affected children are requiring very intensive care support, including ventilation.
The paediatric unit at the state-run Medical College Hospital Kolkata (MCHK) has seen 30-plus such cases in the last one month, more than half in the PICU.
“Though we so far have managed the cases successfully there had been a couple of really difficult cases, including a case where the infection had severely affected the lungs.” said MCHK associate professor of paediatrics Mihir Sarkar, PICU in-charge.
Due to the confusing symptom with Covid, swab samples are also being tested but these children are reportedly testing negative to SARS-Cov-2.
“Normally we get maximum cases in winter months. Such cases are sporadic in monsoons. But this time the number is unusually high,” said Sarkar.
AMRI Mukundapur paediatric intensivist Soumen Meur said while children usually would get mild illness this time around, doctors are seeing more severe cases.
“This time we are getting a case of very bad influenza. In fact we have a two year old child who currently is battling under ECMO support. This is the reason parents should get their children the flu shots,” said Meur.
“Among the very sick kids we are dealing with right now is a two-year-old boy whose brain has been affected, a very rare complication of Influenza B infection. He was brought 10 days ago in such a critical condition that he was put on ventilation straightaway,” said paediatrician Sumita Saha Fortis Hospital.
