New Delhi: A sudden surge in influenza cases has happened, mostly among children, in North Bengal in the last few days. This unprecedented spread of infection caused a panic among people believing that this was another virus outbreak. However, all of them tested negative for Covid-19.

The children affected by the seasonal flu complained of fever and respiratory problems after which the Health Department set up an expert team to monitor all cases.

With increase in the number of cases, the state faced a dearth of hospital beds to accommodate the affected in the pediatric wards. Many PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) beds with some requiring ventilation support, have been taken up ahead of the potential third wave.

Today the Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam announced that there was no cause of panic over the rise in the number of children down with fever.

He informed that most children had been affected by the Influenza B and RS viruses and no deaths have been reported yet. Those who had died had other diseases or ailments.

As Influenza is a contagious disease, the Department of Health has directed all hospitals to increase the number of beds in their pediatric wards. Twenty new beds have been added to Calcutta Medical College today.