Unusual pneumonia cases grip children in Kashmir: Doctors, parents seek answers

22 July 2024

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Srinagar, July 22: In recent weeks, Kashmir has witnessed a surge in unexplained high fever, cough, and, in certain cases, pneumonia among children, prompting concern from health professionals and the public alike.

Despite the cases being in high number, little has been discussed about this publicly, and worried parents and doctors are grappling for answers.

Dr. Naveed Nazir Shah, Professor & Head

Chest Medicine

Government Medical College Srinagar, on Sunday raised the alarm about this unusual trend in a post on X.

“Seeing an unusual rise in pneumonia in especially young children with mild but persistent symptoms in a unusual time of year… watch for any symptoms and get in touch with your paediatrician”, Dr Naveed wrote.

While some citizens feel that alarm has come late, others see it as a timely call for action.

What makes this spike particularly perplexing is its timing—occurring in the peak of summer when temperatures range between 32-35°C during the day and 23-25°C at night in Kashmir. With barely any official statements or research findings detailing the nature of this infection, parents and health authorities are left grappling with the uncertainty of how to manage and prevent further spread.

“My two children, aged 7 and 12, endured intense coughing and high fever for over 12 days. Although pneumonia was ruled out from the chest x-rays, the rootcause of the fever remains unknown. Although doctor prescribed anti biotics, the fact is they were not addressing the viral rootcause. We need answers what is causing these fevers in this hot weather”, Samreen, a mother of three children said.

Concurring with the situation, a parent, Lateef Hussain, wrote on X – … This organism infiltrated lungs of my 2 and 6 year old kids, while the 6 year old had to take one month sick leave at school, the 2 year old had to be put on Monocef500 injections. Both of them in the recovering phase and doing well.

The nature of pneumonia and its usual patterns

Pneumonia, experts say, is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, which may fill with fluid or pus, causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. Several health experts who spoke to Ziraat Times said that it is generally caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, and is traditionally more prevalent in colder months when respiratory infections are more common due to close indoor gatherings and lower immunity caused by cold weather.

The unusual trend in Kashmir

The current rise in pneumonia cases among children in Kashmir is unusual due to several factors, medical experts believe.

Most infections have occurred in schools, indicating a potential environment conducive to the spread of the virus, experts, who spoke to Ziraat Times and preferred not to be named, said.

The high fever and cough associated with the cases suggest a viral origin, but the specific virus remains unidentified. We need to quickly anayse the existing cases, study the virus and draw conclusions, said a senior virologist.

Potential genesis:

Viral Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common cause of respiratory tract infections and can cause severe pneumonia in children. It typically circulates during the winter but can sometimes cause outbreaks in other seasons, experts said.

Adenoviruses can cause a range of illnesses, including pneumonia, and are known to spread in crowded environments like schools, they maintain.

There are other potential viruses like Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) and Novel or Mutated Virus. There is also the possibility of a novel or mutated virus causing the outbreak, especially if the current strains are showing new transmission patterns or resistance to typical seasonal behaviors, experts maintain.

Possible factors sontributing to the spread

While high temperatures are generally not conducive to respiratory virus spread, certain environmental changes, such as increased humidity or pollution, can exacerbate respiratory conditions.

Increased social interactions post-pandemic, particularly in schools, without adequate preventive measures could also contribute to the spread, experts maintain.

Post-pandemic immunity gaps in children who have had limited exposure to common pathogens over the past few years might make them more susceptible, doctors believe.

Precautions and preventive measures recommended now

Parents are recommended to be vigilant in observing symptoms of high fever, persistent cough, and difficulty breathing in their children and seek medical attention promptly, health professionals insist.

Experts also insist parents to encourage frequent handwashing with soap and water, and use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

For school authorities, experts insist mass awareness sessions among students and staff about the importance of hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, such as covering mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when coughing or sneezing.

“Improving classroom ventilation to reduce the concentration of airborne pathogens”, an expert said.

He also suggests implementing routine health checks to quickly identify and isolate symptomatic children.

While certain schools already have policies encouraging sick children to stay home without penalizing them academically, the practice is not prevalent in all schools.

What the Health Department should do:

Experts insist that epidemiological surveillance is a must and the department must activate its data analysis and surveillance systems to get to the root of the issue.

“The department must conduct thorough investigations to identify the virus causing the outbreak. It must also issue clear guidelines and updates to the public about the status of the outbreak and recommended preventive measures, experts said.

Importantly, the Health authorities must also work closely with schools to ensure they have the necessary resources and knowledge to prevent the spread of infections, experts insist.