Coronavirus ‘boogie man is real.’ Cases spike at Cook Children’s in Fort Worth
Coronavirus cases have more than doubled in the past two weeks at Cook Children’s in Fort Worth, and the spike has health officials at the medical center concerned.
The hospital has confirmed 286 COVID-19 cases among 6,300 children tested since March. More than half of the confirmed cases have come in the past 11 days. According to the officials, 48 cases have been confirmed since Wednesday.
“What we are noticing is that the number of cases is ballooning over a short period of time,” said Nicholas Rister, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at Cook Children’s Medical Center. “We understood that as we re-opened Texas we would see more cases. I think these numbers show that this disease spreads among all people, and that includes children.”
The hospital reports that 90% of the positive coronavirus cases at the hospital have been among symptomatic children, ranging in age from infants to the 20s. Six patients are currently being treated for the coronavirus at Cook Children’s.
Rister said the majority of children should be able to recover on their own, but some will need oxygen support and even a ventilator.
“It’s rare for a child to become so ill they need a ventilator because of the virus, but we have seen it and it’s something we want to prevent,” he said.
Parents should look for symptoms such as a cough, fever, mild respiratory symptoms, rash or stomach pain. If symptoms become more severe, hospitalizations may be necessary.
“It’s tough to say where someone gets the virus from, but big events with lots of people are a common way transmission occurs,” Rister said. “We have seen children who we believe became infected at youth sporting events and summer camps.”
Rister urged parents to have their children adhere to the CDC and local health officials’ social distancing measures, including limiting exposure to large groups, wearing a face covering, maintaining social distance and washing hands.
“We know it’s hard to say all children should wear a mask, but as much as you can, it’s going to make a difference,” he said. “Every day we hear about COVID numbers on the news, but most families haven’t seen it despite how common it is. I think it’s important to remind people that the boogie man is real, this thing is out there and the precautions you are taking are very important.”
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 7:15 PM.
