Kids may face higher risk of severe illness: Hirji
‘I do worry we’re going to start to see some children hospitalized’
Although the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 remains relatively low for children, Niagara’s acting medical officer of health fears that may change as infections continue to increase.
Dr. Mustafa Hirji said hospitalizations among children infected with the virus are still relatively rare, “but it’s going to become less rare.”
“At least on a provincewide basis where you’re dealing with a much larger population number, you’re going to start to see more children, unfortunately, start to be hospitalized.”
As infections increase in Niagara, Hirji said, “unfortunately, I do worry we’re going to start to see some children hospitalized here as well.”
Only 61COVID-19 patients admitted to Niagara Health hospitals since Aug. 7 were younger than 16, compared to a total of 1,164 admitted in that time, but Hirji said it’s likely some Niagara children requiring hospitalization would have been admitted at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, as the closest pediatrics hospital.
Hamilton Health Sciences spokesperson Wendy Stewart said a breakdown of where recent COVID-19 patients are from was not available.
She did say the pediatric hospital is seeing an increasing number of children at its emergency department with COVID-19 symptoms.
She said 1,613 children presented at the hospital’s emergency department with COVID-like symptoms in January and February, and 466 of those children were confirmed or assumed to have COVID-19.
So far, however, she said the number of admitted pediatric patients with the virus “has remained low and relatively stable through the Omicron and sixth waves.”
Prior to the Easter long weekend, she said six children were being treated for the virus at McMaster.
Stewart said hospital staff are working internally, and with other children’s hospitals and the province, “to address any potential uptick in COVID cases — in addition to other viral illnesses.”
“This is currently very challenging given staffing challenges being experienced at MCH and across the rest of the health-care system,” she said. “It is important that we all take steps to minimize the spread of COVID-19. This includes masking, vaccination, avoiding large gatherings and socializing outdoors wherever possible. If you’re sick, please stay home.”
Last week, Public Health Ontario warned an increasing number of children may develop severe symptoms after being infected with the BA.2 Omicron subvariant.
“The number of children with severe disease is likely to increase,” said the agency’s report on BA.2 dated April 8. “This may impact pediatric hospital and intensive care unit capacity, and also lead to further disruption to in-person learning in Ontario.”
Niagara Region Public Health reported 69 new infections Monday, for a total of 1,998 active cases, on top of the 390 new cases reported during the holiday weekend.
Cases of the virus, however, are believed to be higher due to limited access to testing.
A new outbreak was also reported Monday, for a total of 20 ongoing in the community — double the number reported a week earlier.
Seventeen of the COVID tbreaks are within health-care facilities, including at 14 longterm-care homes and three in hospitals.
The region’s deaths since the pandemic began increased to 530 on Saturday, after a Niagara resident in the 80-plus age group died after testing positive for the virus.
The majority of new cases reported in the past 28 days are among residents in the 20 to 39 and 40 to 59 age groups.WITH