Many children who are running a temperature can be treated at home but parents are getting them admitted to hospital out of panic, doctors said.
Hundreds of children and adults are suffering from fever and respiratory distress, the result of a surge in viral infections that started several weeks ago.
Samples of 500 patients down with viral infections were tested at the ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in January. Around 32 per cent of the samples were detected with the adenovirus, 13 per cent with the parainfluenza virus and 12 per cent with the rhionvirus, said an official of the institute.
There were also a number of cases of infection by coronaviruses that have been in circulation since before the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
The surge in viral infections has pushed up hospital admissions, with most healthcare facilities struggling to provide beds to patients. At many private hospitals, patients are having to wait for hours in the Emergency department before being allotted a bed in the ward.
A large number of admitted patients, including children, are suffering from viral infections, said officials of multiple private hospitals.
However, in many cases admission is not required.
“Parents of many children who are suffering from fever for several days are requesting us to get them admitted, though doctors feel they can be treated at home. The fever, in many cases, are persisting for several days,” said Sudipta Mitra, chief executive of Peerless Hospital. “Our doctors are telling them that the child can be monitored and treated at home, but the parents are insisting on admission.”
On Tuesday evening, 19 children suffering from fever were being treated in the general ward of Peerless Hospital.
Apurba Ghosh, director of the Institute of Child Health, said parents were bringing their children for consultation even for mild fever, despite being told over the phone not to do so.
“Many parents are in panic mode. But they are exposing their children and others to infection by bringing them to the clinic,” said Ghosh. “A child should be taken to hospital only if she or he runs a high temperature, does not have appetite, breathes fast, has low oxygen count or suffers convulsion.”
Mihir Sarkar, a professor of paediatric medicine at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, echoed Ghosh. A few parents are panicking, said Sarkar.
“Doctors are advising parents not to worry unless there is serious respiratory distress. By now it is clear the fever is persisting longer than usual,” he said.
The health department recently issued an advisory where it said worrying signs include fast breathing, about 50 per cent decrease in oral food intake, urinating less than five times a day and oxygen saturation of 92 or less in room air.
Adults, however, are presenting serious symptoms.
“Adults with respiratory distress and low oxygen count are getting admitted. They are mainly suffering from influenza. Those with comorbidities are becoming critical,” said Chandramouli Bhattacharya, infectious disease expert at Peerless Hospital.