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Eight more COVID-19 cases in Kolkata amid seasonal surge in viral infections
A doctor said the current disease pattern mirrors the Omicron wave, presenting primarily with mild upper respiratory symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough, and body aches.
Elderly people and those with comorbidities remain at higher risk of developing severe complications. (File Photo)
Eight more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Kolkata as hospitals report an uptick in cases of coronavirus and influenza amid a seasonal surge in viral infections across West Bengal. Pulmonologists and critical care specialists have reassured the public that the currently circulating pattern is mild.
Dr Joydeep Ghosh, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Anandapur, told The Indian Express, “In the last one week I have documented four COVID-19 cases. There are many in the OPD who we know might be positive, but they are not taking the test. The symptoms are the same: high-grade fever and persistent cough. There have been around eight positive cases in our hospital.”
Dr Subhajit Sen, Consultant Pulmonologist and Critical Care Specialist at the hospital, gave details of three patients. “One has recovered and been discharged, while two aged between 35 and 65 required ICU admission due to low oxygen levels. Both have responded well to treatment and are now stable, though they have not yet been discharged,” he said.
Dr Sen said the current disease pattern mirrors the Omicron wave, presenting primarily with mild upper respiratory symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough, and body aches. He emphasised, however, that elderly people and those with comorbidities remain at higher risk of developing severe complications.
“There is no need to panic, as most patients recover well with timely medical care,” Dr Sen said. “Vigilance, not fear, is the need of the hour.”
Dr Sen advised people to take precautions like wearing masks in crowded places, maintaining hand hygiene, avoiding unnecessary gatherings during periods of high transmission, and consulting a doctor promptly if symptoms worsen.
Boy with COVID and pneumonia stable
A 10-year-old boy from Kolkata’s Garia neighbourhood had earlier tested positive for COVID-19 and was diagnosed with pneumonia. The boy, who presented with fever, cold, and respiratory distress, was taken to Peerless Hospital on Saturday. Following a comprehensive viral panel test, doctors confirmed COVID-19 infection and detected signs of pneumonia on his chest X-ray.
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The boy is receiving treatment in the hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Hospital officials confirmed that his condition remains stable.
As a precautionary measure, the boy’s mother has been placed in isolation, and COVID-19 tests have been initiated for other family members.Hospital officials stated that routine panel testing often picks up mild cases that might otherwise go undiagnosed. “Every two to three months, we see isolated COVID-19 cases, but they are overwhelmingly mild,” a hospital representative said.
Medical experts have advised parents that while viral fevers and coughs are common among children during the monsoon season, cases involving prolonged fever or breathing difficulty should be evaluated by a physician promptly.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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