The new coronavirus is spreading, but on the other hand, other infectious diseases that are prevalent among children are also increasing.

Doctors are becoming more concerned about the fact that some children will contract other infectious diseases at the same time as the new corona.

4-year-old girl Not just the new corona...

At a pediatric fever outpatient clinic in Ota Ward, Tokyo, the number of patients visiting the fever clinic per day has more than doubled compared to the same period last month. It means that it was infected with



Of these, a 4-year-old girl who was diagnosed with symptoms such as fever and cough was found to be infected with the new corona as a result of the test.



The girl also had a fever two weeks ago and she was diagnosed with "human metapneumovirus infection" and she had just recovered.



Her mother said, ``She had a higher fever than last time, so I thought it might be corona this time, but it was the same.



Also, on this day, two 0-year-old babies were diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Two people were seriously ill and were hospitalized.

According to Dr. Akira Kamikawa of Kamikawa Pediatric Clinic, who examines children, some children have other infectious diseases at the same time as the new corona.



A 2-year-old boy who had a fever last week was tested and found to be infected with the new coronavirus, but then began to develop a rash on his body, and three days later, when he was seen again, he was also infected with "hand, foot and mouth disease". It means that I found out that I was doing it.



According to experts, if you are infected with another virus at the same time, your symptoms may become more severe or prolonged. It's getting harder to accept people, so it's a tough situation," he said.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease increases by around 1,000 people every week

With the rapid spread of new coronavirus infections, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and others have found that infections such as ``RS virus infection'' and ``hand-foot-and-mouth disease'' that mainly infect children are also increasing. rice field.



According to the "Weekly Report on Infectious Diseases" compiled by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, approximately 3,000 pediatric medical institutions nationwide experienced cold-like symptoms such as fever and cough during the week until the 24th of last month. The number of patients diagnosed with "infectious disease" was 7,170, an increase of 154 from the previous week.

Especially since last month, the number has increased rapidly, and it has increased by nearly four times compared to the end of June.

There were 6,684 cases of "hand, foot and mouth disease," which causes rashes on the hands, feet, and mouth, an increase of 897 from the previous week.

Since the end of June, the number has been increasing at a pace of around 1,000 people every week.



In addition, there were 1682 cases of "herpangina," which causes fever and blisters in the back of the mouth, an increase of 111 from the previous week, and has continued to increase especially since June.

Infectious diseases to watch out for

Common infectious diseases among children include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and hand-foot-and-mouth disease.



"RS virus infection" is a disease that causes cold-like symptoms such as fever and cough.



When infected for the first time, 20 to 30% are said to develop pneumonia or bronchitis, and the symptoms can become severe especially in babies several months after birth.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is a viral infection that causes rashes on the hands, feet, and mouth, mainly affecting children under the age of five, and can cause mild fever.



It usually recovers in about 3 days to 1 week, but in rare cases it may cause meningitis or encephalitis.



In addition, "herpangina" is a viral infectious disease that tends to affect children between the ages of 1 and 4, and the number of patients increases in the summer. It's a feature.



In addition, "human metapneumovirus infection" is a disease that causes symptoms such as fever and cough, which are similar to those of "respiratory syncytial virus infection".



Infants and the elderly may develop pneumonia and bronchitis.



These infectious diseases are transmitted by inhaling droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or by touching an object with the virus on them and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth. Basic infection control measures such as frequent hand washing and disinfection of toys used by everyone are important.

What should I do when my child has a fever?

Professor Hiroyuki Moriuchi of Nagasaki University and chairman of the Japanese Association for Pediatric Infectious Diseases said, ``The clinical characteristics of the new coronavirus and other infectious diseases in children are very similar, so it is difficult to distinguish them from symptoms. In addition, there are cases where the child is infected with the new coronavirus and other infectious diseases at the same time, so if your child develops symptoms such as a fever, do not worry about what the illness is. I want you to carefully observe the child's condition."

After that, if there is no change in the child's appetite or mood compared to when he had a cold, there is no need to rush to see a doctor, and he said, ``The pediatric department's fever outpatient is urgent, and what should I do before the examination? If you have to wait for a long time, you may get worse while waiting for the doctor, so it is better to let him rest at home in a comfortable condition. You can also buy over-the-counter antipyretic analgesics."



On the other hand, ``If you get an infectious disease in the summer, you are prone to dehydration, so if you can't eat or drink, or if you have trouble urinating, be sure to see a medical institution.''



In addition, it has been reported that children infected with the Omicron strain of the new corona, which is currently spreading, have become unconscious and have convulsions due to fever.



In addition, it is said that inflammation in the back of the throat may cause a symptom called croup, which causes a cough that sounds like a puppy barking and a hoarse voice.



Professor Moriuchi said, ``If you have these symptoms, you need to see a doctor because there is a risk of aggravation.''