Three kids died at SMCH during the second wave; “Incorrect to correlate deaths with third wave,” Doctors

A week back, on June 21, a 5-year-old was declared dead in Silchar Medical College and Hospital’s COVID ward. Since then, there has been a constant worry, if this death indicates the beginning of the third wave. The general perception in that the kids and teenagers will remain vulnerable in the third wave considering the fact that only 18+ are getting vaccinated.

Rejazul Haque, 5-yeard-old, from Kanishal of Karimganj district, was admitted to the Silchar Medical College & Hospital on June 18 and died on June 21 at 8:50 am with Covid. In the second wave, that is since April 1, 2021, three children have succumbed to death with COVID in Silchar Medical College and Hospital.

About 5-year-old Rejajul Haque, a professor in SMCH and a treating doctor said, “The kid had features of Acute Encephalitis with covid positivity. Only the third covid related pediatric death in SMCH this year. Covid has become ubiquitous now. Too early to comment about the third wave.” More over, the kid was rushed to hospital due to Acute Enchephalitic Syndrome and Covid was an “incidental finding” said the doctor as testing is compulsory.

Before Rejazul Haque, two other kids were declared dead on May 28. Tanbir Zaman who was just three months old was brought to the SMCH from Achimganj in Karimganj. Zaman was admitted on May 28 and died at 2:30 pm on the same day. The other child declared dead in the COVID ward was 15-month-old Ritesh Kumar from Motinagar in the Cachar district. He was admitted on May 27 and died on the same day at 10:35 pm.

“Two kids have died but this doesn’t have any relation with a potential third wave as at that point in time, the second wave was still going on with the number of patients increasing every day at Silchar Medical College,” said vice-principal, Dr. Bhaskar Gupta. He had informed back then, “One of the kids presented with septicemia while the other suffered from a spell of severe covid pneumonia. Last year also a kid died due to Covid.”

The think tank in India remained polarised on the impact of third-wave, especially on kids. The government officials and ministers have termed it as a possible cause of concern. In states including Assam, new pediatric Intensive Care Units are being built. However, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics stated that the Delta variant is unlikely to affect children disproportionately in a third wave scenario.

A recent serological survey conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in association with World Health Organisation has found that it is highly unlikely that the future wave of COVID-19 will disproportionately affect children aged two years and above. “Data collected by AIIMS between March 15 and June 10, 2021, from over 4,500 participants across four states, found seroprevalence in 55.7 percent samples collected from individuals aged between 2 and 17 years, and in 63.5 percent among adults. There was no statistically significant difference in prevalence between adults and children,” the AIIMS study noted.

Yet the government of Assam is keeping a cautious approach much like the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Health Minister of Assam, Keshab Mahanta announced that a 10-bed Pediatric ICU will be built in Silchar Medical College and Hospital and a 20-bed-PICU in Gauhati Medical College.

“We are constantly reviewing our preparedness to face if in case there is a review,” said Deputy Commissioner of Cachar Keerthi Jalli after a meeting with the Principal and higher authorities of SMCH. She added, “In terms of the construction of Pediatric ICU and 40-bedded-ICU, the work is going on in full swing.”

Be it AIIMS or WHO or Indian Academy of Pediatrics, there is no official communication suggesting that the kids will be more vulnerable during the third wave. However, the unofficial stance of Government of India is clear and that is staying prepared for the wave.