Children need special care against coronavirus, its variants

As the country has witnessed a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases along with its variants, the number of infected children below 10 years has also increased of late. 

A health worker at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division at the Ministry of Health and Population said that a total of 7,388 children below 10 years have been infected in the country as of Monday. She told NepalNews that 221 children have already been discharged while 37 others have died from COVID-19 as of Monday. At least 917 children have been diagnosed with the infection in the past week. 

Some of the hospitals where children could be taken good care of including Kanti Children's Hospital has also witnessed an increase in incoming patients below 10 years, the hospital informed, however, no figure was mentioned to NepalNews.

Bir Hospital has a total of 104 patients receiving treatment as of today, according to the hospital's COVID-19 contact person Dr Achyut Karki. Likewise, TU Teaching Hospital has a total of 188 patients receiving treatment while Star Hospital, Sanepa has 27 patients. It has been learnt that Ishan Children and Women's Hospital has taken the initiative to build a special ward to treat children infected with the coronavirus.

Since the beds in all the hospitals treating COVID-19 patients have been fully occupied, there is really no option left other than to treat children together with adults. The risk of the mother contracting the contagion is also high.

"If any child gets infected, we provide the parents of the respective children with counselling and general advice on the medicines that need to be administered on hotline 1115 or the Ministry's hotline no. 1133," she said, adding, "As there is almost no bed available in the hospitals we try to ascertain the severity of the case and make arrangements in an emergency."

She said, "For children who are not in a serious condition and are suffering from cold and cough with fever, we advise their guardians to give the children paracetamol at an interval of eight hours." The parents should ensure that their children are getting enough of vitamin B, C and D which nourish the body and increase resistance power against coronavirus, she said. 

Meanwhile, Dr Ashish Shrestha, working at Patan Hospital's emergency ward, has urged one and all to take preventive measures, especially, children as the new variants have also been detected among children. Children are also prone to contracting the contagion, he said. 

Meanwhile, the chief district officers of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur have decided to enforce the prohibitory order more strictly from Wednesday as the country has yet again witnessed a record high daily cases and deaths.

The Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 7,587 new cases and 55 deaths.