Kolkata: A 10-year-old boy has been admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata after testing positive for Covid-19, doctors said on Sunday, adding that his condition is stable and he is under close medical supervision.
The child, a resident of the Garia area on the southern outskirts of Kolkata, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday with fever, cough and shortness of breath. A swab test confirmed he was infected with Covid-19, following which he was shifted to the ICU's isolation unit.
Paediatrician Saheli Dasgupta said the boy had been suffering from fever, cold and cough for the past three to four days. An X-ray revealed signs of pneumonia in his right lung, while a viral test confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
"Since Covid-19 is a viral disease, instead of antibiotics, he has been kept on supportive treatment, including nebulisation. The child's mother has also been placed in isolation, and doctors are planning to test her for Covid-19 as well," she said.
Dasgupta said the child's condition remains stable and he is being monitored round the clock.
She also urged people not to panic, noting that fever, cough and cold are common among children during the monsoon season. While fresh Covid-19 cases have been reported in some parts of the country, she said, most infections remain mild and hospitalisation rates are low.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 cases have shown a fresh rise in parts of the country.
In Andhra Pradesh, 12 Covid-19 infections were reported between June 26 and July 16, while four patients with underlying health conditions died during the same period.
As the cases have been detected across four districts, the state health department has sent samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, to identify the circulating variant. Experts suspect that the Omicron sub-variant "Cicada" may be contributing to the recent increase in infections in the state.
Covid-19 cases have also risen in Pune, where new infections have been detected over the past 10 days. Doctors said most patients have mild symptoms but advised people to remain cautious.
Medical experts added that, besides Covid-19, influenza A and H1N1 infections also tend to increase during the monsoon. They advised people experiencing fever, sore throat, cough or breathing difficulties to undergo testing promptly.
With IANS inputs