19 Children Die of Adenovirus Infection in WB; CM Mamata Banerjee Asks Children to Wear masks

Kolkata: With as many as 19 deaths of children infected by adenovirus in the state, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee advised all children to wear masks. Adenovirus cases are on the rise in the state.

Mamata Banerjee asked children not to panic and take necessary precautions. She said that out of the 19 children who have died due to adenovirus, 13 of them had comorbidities.

The West Bengal CM advised all parents to immediately consult a doctor if a child has cough and cold. Children are to be admitted to hospital if they have fever, she added.

At present, pediatric critical care units of hospitals in West Bengal are brimming with youngsters suffering from respiratory illnesses, most of them caused by adenovirus. The health department and the chief medical officer in every district have been asked to stay alert and be ready to with the necessary infrastructure and equipment to deal with adenovirus cases.

According to the United Nations (UN) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adenoviruses cause mild to severe illness in the body, particularly in the respiratory tract. This virus infects children. This infection is more common among newborns and younger children.

Its symptoms are similar to common cold or flu, fever, sore throat, acute bronchitis, pneumonia, pink eye, and acute gastroenteritis. In extreme conditions it can lead to pneumonia and pharyngeal-conjunctival fever.