Bhutan recorded its first COVID-19 positive child case in a four-year-old girl yesterday in Phuentshogling. The girl is one of the primary contacts of the 25-year-old man who tested positive for the disease in Phuentshogling earlier this week. Along with the girl, a 34-year-old woman also tested positive for COVID-19.
As per the National Situational Update on COVID-19, the two individuals who tested positive are identified as the primary contacts of the 25-year-old loader from Phuentshogling. The 32-year-old mother of the four-year-old girl tested positive on Wednesday. The girl becomes the first child to be tested and found positive for COVID-19 in the country. Prior to this, a one-and-half-year old baby who arrived in the country along with her mother was also suspected to have the virus. Along with the mother, the child tested positive but the child could not be confirmed on the RT-PCR test as it was difficult to get the nasal swab from an infant. Currently, both the child and the mother are in the de-isolation.
Gathering information and views from the health experts on how dangerous the disease is for children, the Technical Advisory Group of Health Ministry claimed Data on COVID-19 infection in children is very limited. However, the disease seems to be much milder in babies and children than in adults at present. Moreover, as per some reports, some children also require hospitalisation and intensive care services.
Experts also shared everyone has equal risk of getting infection except that the severity of the disease will vary. Children can get COVID-19 but it is less often than an adult and it is usually less serious.
In terms of the COVID-19 recovery rate for children, the group revealed it is not established yet and is difficult to determine the recovery rate at this point of time and the disease being new to everyone. However, some reports have shown the rate of recovery is highest in children than any other age group.
For now, all 23 positive cases detected from the time of lockdown are doing fine with most of them are asymptomatic.
As of today, Bhutan’s total confirmed cases of COVID-19 stands at 133.
Passang Dorji
