West Bengal is witnessing a spike in Adenovirus cases as two children succumbed to suspected infection while several other children remain affected. As per reports, the deceased include a two-and-a-half-year-old girl and a 6-month old boy
Adenovirus are a group of viruses that can cause severe infection including respiratory, gastrointestinal and eye problems
West Bengal authorities have been vigilant about Adenovirus as the health officials have advised people to look out for flu-like symptoms
Some of the common Adenovirus symptoms are fever, sore throat, acute bronchitis and in severe cases, Adenovirus can also lead to pneumonia and pink eye or conjunctivitis
Adenovirus can spread via respiratory droplets during sneezing, coughing or touching with infected hands, making it an air-borne disease. It can also spread via faeces
Source: CDC, US
Here are a few simple steps to prevent the spread of Adenovirus:
- Regularly wash your hands
- Avoid touching mouth, eyes or nose with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with those who are sick
- Patients must wear face masks, isolate themselves
- Keep yourself hydrated
- Contact a medical professional in case of encountering any symptoms
Source: CDC, US
As of February 18, 115 patients had been admitted with respiratory issues. Patients in ICU/HDU with respiratory problems - 22 (5 paediatric). Most adults are suffering from adenovirus, non-COVID coronavirus, influenza, parainfluenza, rhinovirus, pneumococcus & RSV, as per AMRI Hospitals
As of now, there is no specific treatment for Adenovirus. Doctors are yet to discover an antiviral medication, hence they prescribe painkillers and general medication to tackle severe symptoms
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Adenoviruses can affect people of all ages, but as per certain reports, they're most common in children younger than 5 years old
While there is no correlation determined between COVID-19 and Adenovirus, some kids in the US and other countries got infected with both the virus at the same time