Since the start of school in mid-August, coronary heart disease among children has increased sharply.
The child infection has been highest in the age group 13 to 19 years, but in week 34 the infection in the age group 6 to 12 years increased by 54 percent, according to The National Institute of Public Health’s (FHI) weekly report from week 35.
On Friday, Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced that Norway eases coronary restrictions, which means that it is a normal everyday life with increased preparedness. However, the virus is not completely gone.
At the same time as coronary heart disease is increasing among children, other types of viral diseases have led to more children becoming ill from respiratory infections, such as RS virus and metapneumovirus.
FHI expects stronger RS outbreaks
– We have had a few cases of RS virus, which is a virus that we usually see a lot of later in the fall and winter. There have been more children hospitalized with a number of other respiratory infections than what we normally see in early autumn.
Per Kristian Knudsen tells Dagbladet. He is a specialist in pediatrics and chief physician in infectious diseases at the pediatric and adolescent ward at Ullevål hospital in Oslo.
The website Nursing has previously mentioned the case.
Lacks immunity
When the pandemic came to Norway in March 2020, the department made contingency plans for the Children and Adolescents’ Clinic. However, there was never a need to use these, because since the start of the pandemic, until the summer of 2021, there has hardly been one child with a respiratory infection at Oslo University Hospital.
– We have seen very few cases of serious illness in children who are infected with covid-19. Children rarely need hospitalizations as a result of corona, says the superior.
The low number of patients has surprised Knudsen.
Disagree with FHI about RS virus
– I am surprised at how large the reduction was actually last autumn and winter, but the explanation is that the infection control measures also reduced other viral infections, he says.
This autumn, therefore, a concern has arisen that more children now lack immunity to common cold viruses. This can lead to more children, and especially the youngest, becoming seriously ill when society opens up fully.
Knudsen tells Dagbladet that so far at Ullevål there have been more hospitalizations of children with other respiratory infections than with covid-19 during the late summer and early autumn this year.
One of the viral infections that is expected to increase among children through the autumn and winter, the RS virus (respiratory syncytial virus).
– We are prepared for the fact that there may be more cases this autumn, but there is no reason to believe that the course of the disease will be more serious, he says.
The superior points out, however, that they have not yet seen a sharp increase in respiratory diseases in the ward.
– People are scared
– Not worried
Already at the end of May, it could be seen that there was an unusually high incidence of the RS virus among children between zero and three years in Denmark, and since week 20, 1734 people have been diagnosed with the disease, according to figures from Statens Serum Institut (SSI). NIPH fears that the same could happen in Norway.
RS virus is a common cause of pneumonia in infants and young children. The virus tends to spread from November to May.
Vilde was diagnosed with the RS virus
– Extraordinarily many people are getting RS virus right now, warns Danish SSI.
At Ullevål’s children and adolescent ward, they have already received several patients with RS virus. according to Nursing There have been a total of 15 patients with RS virus in the ward.
Knudsen estimates that an average of 1,000 to 1,500 children with RS virus are admitted to hospitals throughout Norway each year.
– Are you worried about the progress through the autumn and winter?
– No, I’m not worried, because these are viral diseases that we know how to deal with. These are conditions that we know how to treat in the pediatric wards, says the superior.
Mysterious infection trend: Hospital is filled with children
Severe childhood disease
He emphasizes that they are all prepared for the fact that there may be more hospitalizations than normal, both with seasonal infections, such as RS virus and influenza, and due to corona and MIS-C (multi-organ inflammatory syndrome), which is a rare sequelae of children after covid-19.
– At the department, we have prepared ourselves by, among other things, making plans for increased capacity if necessary, equipment and staffing plans, says Knudsen.
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He points out that they have already had some patients with the serious childhood disease MIS-C.
The disease causes inflammation in several organs, such as skin, mucous membranes, heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys.
The condition is rare and can occur two to six weeks after undergoing covid-19.
New findings about severe childhood syndrome
– A few children have been admitted with the inflammatory condition MIS-C after covid-19. There are about 30 patients nationwide. About half have been admitted to Oslo University Hospital, says Knudsen.
When the reopening of Norway is soon to come, the superior has a clear idea of what one should think about in order to avoid infection.
– I think it makes sense that we continue with basic infection control measures such as washing hands, keeping a distance if you are ill, and staying home when you are ill. I think it is important to take this further, to reduce infection with covid, but also to at least the same extent to reduce infection of the other viral diseases, he says.
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