The Makario Hospital is currently operating at over 90% capacity, with a predominant number of children admitted suffering from respiratory infections, stated Dr. Avraam Elias, the Director of the Pediatric Department. He emphasized that this year has seen a rise in respiratory infections compared to the previous year.
According to Dr. Elias, many children are hospitalized, with a significant influx of cases ranging from six to eight, possibly more, per day, while an equal number of discharges are also observed.
“Mostly, we have children suffering from respiratory infections, with 7 out of 10 hospitalized children having respiratory infections, primarily dominated by the RSV virus. RSV causes acute bronchiolitis in infants, and that’s why the majority of hospitalized children, more than half, are infants aged below 12 months,” he explained.
Dr. Elias continued, stating that the second most common infection is lower respiratory tract infections, including bacterial pneumonia or viral pneumonia.
“We also have children with upper respiratory tract infections, and mostly, infants under 12 months are hospitalized with acute bronchiolitis,” he clarified.
The Director highlighted that acute bronchiolitis is the main reason for children’s admissions to pediatric wards during the winter months, with the peak usually observed in January and February.
“Therefore, we cannot say that we are currently at the peak of this pandemic. We expect a reduction in cases during this period due to the closure of schools, and with the resumption of schools after one or two weeks, an increase in cases is anticipated. It happens every year, and this year there is an increase in cases compared to last year, although it is manageable,” he added.
Typically, he explained, children exhibit symptoms such as fever, cough, respiratory distress, persistent cough, possible runny nose, loss of appetite, and sometimes gastrointestinal disturbances. For these reasons, children need hospitalization in pediatric wards to receive the appropriate treatment.
Another observation, he emphasized, is an increase in cases among neonates and infants under 2 months old. This age group is particularly vulnerable due to the immaturity of their immune systems.
“We appeal to parents with children in this age group to be cautious and avoid contact with others, especially with older siblings who may carry and transmit these pathogens to younger children,” he urged.
Regarding cases of COVID-19, Dr. Elias mentioned that currently, four children are hospitalized. “Although we had sporadic admissions with COVID-19 in recent weeks, there has been a slight increase in admissions lately, reflecting the overall population increase of the disease, mainly in small children and infants with symptoms such as fever and loss of appetite,” he concluded.
