West Bengal govt says 'situation under control' over rising fever cases among kids

As the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal reported an unprecedented influx of high fever and dysentery cases, the West Bengal government on Thursday assured the people of the state that there was no reason to worry. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also held a high profile meeting when she took stock of the situation. An official further mentioned that the three children who died in Jalpaiguri after contracting the fever had other ailments which led to their demise.

State govt says nothing to worry

On Thursday, the West Bengal government issued a statement over the spurt in cases of fever and dysentery among children in Jalpaiguri district and its neighbourhood and maintained that the cause of the disease has been ascertained. The state govt and the administration also mentioned that it was working out ways to deal with it. State health secretary NS Nigam said, "There is nothing to worry about these cases of infections. The virus, 'Respiratory Syncytial,’ is found to have caused the fever among children." The state health department will soon release a standard operating procedure in connection with the treatment of children who have fallen sick due to the virus, the official went on to add.

Bengal CM chairs assessment meet on Jalpaiguri case

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during the day, held a high-profile meeting with senior officials and doctors of five medical colleges and hospitals. Nigam while interacting with PTI added, "The situation is under control." A senior paediatrician at SSKM hospital, who attended Thursday's meeting with the CM, told the news agency that the virus isn't a new one and it has, in the past too, affected young ones.

Later, state deputy health secretary Dr Ajay Chakraborty said that only one out of all the children admitted to hospitals with fever tested positive for COVID. He also said such respiratory ailments are nothing uncommon among them at this time of the year. "The number of cases this time isn't as much as it was in the previous years." In Jalpaiguri District Hospital, a total of 1,195 children have been admitted between September 1 and 15.

The overall situation in Jalpaiguri 

The state health department recently constituted a committee of experts to find out the cause of the fever among hundreds of children, mostly in Jalpaiguri and its adjoining areas. Over 1,400 children in Jalpaiguri and neighbouring districts were hospitalised since the beginning of September with high fever and dysentery. On September 13 itself, at least 130 children were admitted to the Jalpaiguri Sadar Hospital with high fever and dysentery. The development comes amid warning by experts that the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic might pose a greater risk to children.

(With inputs from PTI)

(Image: ANI)