Paediatric coronavirus on the rise, warn physicians

AMMAN — Medical experts share tips regarding paediatric coronavirus as COVID-19 cases have soared among toddlers and children in the recent period.

On Saturday, Mahmoud Bilal, a Jordanian physician, said that “COVID-19 cases among children have been extremely high lately,” adding that two out of five children who visit his clinic have coronavirus symptoms.

It was expected that cases would increase during winter months, Bilal noted, urging parents to take extra care of their children, through observing whether or not the child is exhibiting primary coronavirus symptoms such as fever, dehydration and cough, in addition to other symptoms.

“The Omicron variant is highly transmissible. And there are other respiratory infections that are also spreading so fast during the recent cold weather,” he added.

There has been “a clear and sharp spike” in paediatric COVID-19 cases, Islam Tareq, a Jordanian paediatrician, told The Jordan Times on Saturday. 

He added that most children that she treated in the past week tested positive, or had COVID-19 symptoms.

“Most parents think that it is unlikely that their child could contract the virus,” according to Tareq.

The paediatrician said: “Children with no medical conditions are not likely to have severe symptoms; they have milder clinical manifestations, but like anyone they can test positive therefore parents should keep that in mind.”

The increase is mostly observed in children aged two and above, Tareq added

Sarah Hussein, a Jordanian mother of two, said: “Last week there were over two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in my daughter’s pre-school class room.” 

It is important for mothers that their children go to school, have a normal life and keep up their normal activities, but at the same time it is stressful and tiring now with the pandemic, Hussein said.

“The situation now is not like previous surges,” Hussein added.