Latest genome sequencing report also reveals that infected children who were tested had the milder Delta derivatives
A security staffer checks students at Swami Vivekanand Vidyalaya in Nehru Nagar. File pic
While there is risk of children contracting Covid-19, thanks to the new Omicron variant, the situation is still under control with cases and fatalities among children being much lower compared to the population. In the current genome sequencing reports, kids were found to be infected with the milder Delta derivatives. Of the 18 cases of Omicron in Maharashtra, only four are children.
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Dr Pradip Awate, state surveillance officer, said, “Of the four Omicron cases among children, two children have already been discharged. There are 107 suspected omicron patients across the state, but we reveal the data only after the genome sequencing report.” In Mumbai, no Omicron cases were detected among children. In addition, the 40 suspected cases admitted to SevenHills Hospital or private hospitals do not include any children.
Students of Manekji Gazdar high school in Khar West take part in a Covid vaccination awareness camp. File pic
The rate of infection among children has remained the same as the previous months, especially that of November when infection rate dropped for all age groups. In November, 743 children aged below 19 years were infected, accounting for 10.7 per cent of all cases during the same period. It is also important to note that despite schools have reopened for Stds VIII-XII, there has been no rise in cases among children.
During the first wave, 18,094 children below 19 years were infected between March 2020 and February 2021, accounting for 5.7 per cent of all cases. It rose to 13 per cent in June amid the second wave. Since then, it has hovered around 10 per cent. Reports of the fifth genome sequencing study also showed similar data. Of the 221 patients, 13 were aged below 18 years. Of them, two were diagnosed with the Delta variant and 11 with Delta derivatives.
The incidence of Covid-19 infection in relatively young children is completely under control, said officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. However, the government has postponed reopening of schools for all students, which was set for December 1, till December 15 in view of the new variant. A BMC official said, “Till now there isn’t any new decision and instruction from the state government about reopening of schools. There is no need to panic and cases are under control.”
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