Over 34K Children Tested COVID Positive In Assam Since April, 5755 Kids Were Under 5 Years
There is a fear that the possible third wave of COVID-19 in India later this year will affect children more than in the first two waves of the pandemic.
While it is still unclear when the third wave will start in India and if it is going to affect children, some disturbing trends are emerging in the second wave itself.
Unlike in the first wave, the number of children testing positive for COVID was high during the second wave this year.
The numbers
According to Assam Health Department, 34,066 children below the age of 18 years have tested positive for COVID-19 during the second wave of the pandemic in the state.
This accounts for 12 per cent of the total cases reported since April this year.
A total of 5,755 cases are children below five years whereas 28,851 are between 6 and 18 years.
Of the 34,066 positive cases, 34 children, mostly with comorbidities, have succumbed to the infection, Director, National Health Mission of the state, Dr. Lakshmanan S said.
Most of them had comorbidities like congenital diseases of the heart, kidney, rare malformations and others, especially among those less than five years of age.
District wise break up
Kamrup Metro has the highest caseload with 5,346 children found to be infected by the virus. This comprises 10.04 per cent of the total caseload of 53,251 in the district.
Dibrugarh follows next with 2,430 COVID-19 cases among children, which accounts for 12.19 per cent of the total 19,937 COVID19 cases in the district.
Nagaon is placed third with 2,288 cases below 18 years and this stands at 14.38 per cent of the total 15,910 cases.
Kamrup Rural is placed fourth with 2,023 coronavirus cases among children, which stands at 11.75 per cent of the total 17,216 cases.
Sonitpur is fifth with 1,839 COVID-19 cases among children, which stands at 13.89 per cent of the total 13,239 cases in the district.
The other districts have also reported positive cases among children below the age of 18.
Earlier, in Maharashtra, it was reported that 9,928 children had tested Covid-19 positive at Ahmednagar district alone in May.
Another 65 children had tested positive for coronavirus in Osmanabad district in four days.
Though many have expressed fears, doctors and health experts have said that there is so far no data to suggest that the third wave could affect children more.
However, most states are not leaving to chance and have begun preparing for the third wave with a focus on increasing paediatric infrastructure.?
