Covid-19 in children rattles healthcare

The novel coronavirus’ third-wave has presented a new set of challenges for the country, many of which still remain unabated. The latest concern gripping The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), is talk of a higher Covid-19 ratio among children this time around.

Per NCOC, an infection rate of three per cent has been reported for children aged 1-10 years during all three waves of the virus. However, the deadly contagion was reported to have claimed at least 40 lives under the said age group so far, which stirred the national debate around the third-spell of the virus being most detrimental for children.

Although, dispelling all such claims the department had asserted on Friday, that it has not observed any deviation in positivity ratio in children as yet, reports from the country’s three chief cities seem to paint a much grimmer picture.

Karachi

According to National Institute of Child Health (NICH) Head Prof Dr Jamal Raza, over 130 children were admitted to the hospital in the past year, out of which a majority displayed some kind of Covid-19 symptom. “But where viral traits are the same in people of all age groups, children are likely to experience milder symptoms as compared to the elderly. In the same vein, they also have a much higher chance of recovering without any complications upon early diagnosis and treatment,” the professor told.

Yet however, despite having better chances of recovery, the NICH chief emphasised that children possess no special immunity against the virus and remain particularly prone to being infected. “They can then act as potential carriers and transmit the disease to other children, which can result in a higher number of cases in the said age groups,” he told.

As per Dr Jamal Raza, several children referred to NICH from various hospitals of Karachi, including Indus Hospital, are those who have been diagnosed with Covid-19. To accommodate these patients, the children’s hospital has dedicated a 20-bed ICU, where they are being kept under observation.

Lahore

The Punjab provincial capital appears to be among cities dealing with the worst of Covid-19, leaving local administrations faltering to impose better mitigation policies.

Unlike the past however, various hospital wards in the city have now also started reporting a higher number of children and adolescents testing positive for the virus. According to health specialists, a majority of these children have been those who were already under treatment for a different illness, at various public and private hospitals in the city.

Speaking in the regard, University of Health and Sciences Dr Javed Akram maintained that despite government claims, the third spell of Covid-19 has had detrimental impact on children, not only in Pakistan but across the world.

Health department statistics disclose that over 19,367 children and adolescents between ages of 1 and 18 were reportedly affected by coronavirus from March 2020 to March 2021. Per sources, in March 2020, only 75 children were infected with the virus, but in March 2021, over 5,000 of children and adolescents up to age 18 contracted the virus, while 1669 of the same strata were affected in February.

Young Doctors Association of Pakistan General Secretary Dr. Salman Kazmi, said that this spread of Covid-19 is a result of lack of effective lockdown and flouting of social-distancing and other SOPs advised by the government.

“A large number of diagnosed children are currently being treated in Mayo Hospital, General Hospital and Children's Hospital. If we are not careful and the government doesn’t enforce SOPs, we will see a similar increase in the number of patients in the coming days and soon other hospital wards will also begin to overflow,” he forewarned.

As per Dr Akram, considering the intensity of the wave, a trial vaccination programme for children is also needed, in addition to implementation of SOPs and lockdown strategies. “The government is working on something in the regard, which will hopefully come to fruition soon,” the Vice Chancellor told The Express Tribune.

Peshawar

As for the northwestern province, Khyber Medical University’s October 2020 research revealed that over 163 positive cases were reported among children between the ages of five to sixteen. By November of 2020 however, the number had climbed to a shocking 639 cases among children, while the infection ratio remained at 1.7 per cent. In December, some 725 children across KP had tested positive for the virus, with a ratio of 1.59 per cent.

Similarly, from January to March 2021, around 421 children were Covid-19 positive, while the ratio was 0.58 per cent.

According to Khyber Medical University Associate Professor Dr Yasir Mehmood, the increasing infection rate among children was owed to their weak immunity. “During the course of our research, whenever we examined Covid-19 among families, in most cases all family members would be affected with the virus, including children,” he told The Express Tribune.