Maharashtra: Sharp drop in infections among kids in Aurangabad

Anticipating another wave, the state has set up a paediatric task force for better management of cases in children in future

With the second wave of Covid-19 seeing more children getting affected, Aurangabad has witnessed a sharp drop in paediatric cases in May following a rise in earlier months.

"We used to get 15-20 cases of 0 to 18 years per day on an average. Now since May 20, it is less or around 10," said Astik Kumar Pandey, commissioner of Aurangabad Municipal Corporation. He said paediatric cases have been 10-15 per cent of total cases.

"The percentage has remained more or less the same since the beginning," said Pandey. AMC has seen 9,095 paediatric Covid-19 cases from March 2020 till date. Since January 21, a health official from AMC said, there have been 4,980 cases. "In the last three months, the percentage of paediatric Covid-19 cases has been below 10. In March, we saw 2,039 cases, in April there were 1,980 cases and in May so far we have seen 550 paediatric cases," said the health official.

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A doctor from MGM Hospital, Aurangabad, which has been treating Covid-19 in children, said, "Most of the children are asymptomatic and do not require treatment. It is only 2-3 per cent who require hospitalisation because of severe symptoms. So far, we have seen children with co-morbidities like obesity, diabetes or being immunocompromised, getting the severe symptoms."

"The cases have gone down because of a lockdown. There is a decline in active Covid-19 cases but Post Covid-19 inflammatory Syndrome starts 2-6 weeks after infection. That's something to watch out for right now," said Dr Ganesh Kulkarni, a local paediatrician.

Health experts are anticipating a third wave to hit the state in six months from now. It is said that it will affect children more and the state has formed a paediatric task force to manage the Covid-19 cases in children in the state. Modules are being made on how to treat mild, moderate and severe infection in children. One of the task force member said that the modules are designed to help the primary health care doctors, peripheral hospital doctors on how to suspect, when to suspect and what treatment needs to be given in simplified manner.

The task force has also kept anganwadi workers in consideration while preparing the modules. "For them, we have simplified the program as in rural parts of Maharashtra they will play a major role in Covid-19 management. The program has algorithms, charts that can be put in the clinic," said the state task force member.

500
Paediatric cases reported by AMC in May