Two more children die due to pneumonia; tally at 4 in 48 hrs

Kolkata: Two more children died of pneumonia on Monday in two city hospitals taking the toll to four in the past 48 hours.

It has become a grave concern for health officials as the deaths are being reported at a time when there has been a rise in Adenovirus cases in the state.

However, the hospitals have not confirmed whether the children who died on Monday were victims of adenovirus. Both the children were rushed to the hospitals with fever. One of the victims was a nine-month-old girl from Hooghly’s Chandannagar. She had been suffering from high fever, cough and cold for the past 10 days. The patient also complained of respiratory distress. The child was admitted to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital on February 20. She died at the hospital on Monday morning. Family members of the deceased claimed that she might have died due to Adenovirus infection but the death certificate has not mentioned it as the cause.

Death of another child was reported from Dr BC Roy Memorial Hospital for Children on the same day.

Incidentally, two children died of pneumonia at these two hospitals on Sunday. An eight-month-old girl child from Basirhat died at BC Roy Children’s Hospital following pneumonia while a one-and-half-year-old child from Howrah died at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital early on Sunday morning. Patient’s family members alleged negligence in treatment. It was suspected that the children had been infected with Adenovirus.

In the wake of sudden rise in Adenovirus cases and pneumonia, the Health department has already directed all the state-run hospitals to open fever clinics. It has been advised that if a child runs fever above 102 degree and pulse rate goes below 60, a doctor should be consulted. Like Covid, Adenovirus is also affecting the respiratory system.

The Health department in its recently issued guidelines said in case a patient is affected with fever; his/her oxygen saturation should be tested by pulse oximeter at home.

Senior Health officials on Monday morning visited Dr BC Roy Children’s Hospital to take a stock of the existing infrastructure.

Adenoviruses are a group of common viruses that can infect eyes, urinary and respiratory tracts as well as lungs and intestines causing fever, coughs with sore throats and diarrhea. Children are mostly vulnerable to this viral disease.