No evidence of severe illness among children in third wave: Report | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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No evidence of severe illness among children in third wave: Report

By, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Jun 12, 2021 11:28 PM IST

The report said data of approximately 2,600 hospitalised children, below the age of 10 years (which excluded neonates) from 10 public and private hospitals in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and the Delhi-NCR region were taken for collection and analysis.

The Lancet Covid-19 Commission India Task Force in a report said that there appears to be no substantial evidence that a probable third wave of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic will cause greater illness in children.

A healthcare worker examines a child during a door-to-door surveillance to safeguard children amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. (REUTERS)
A healthcare worker examines a child during a door-to-door surveillance to safeguard children amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. (REUTERS)

“Based on the data available, there appears to be no substantial evidence to suggest that children would be more affected or would have greater illness severity due to Covid-19 infection in the anticipated third wave. Studies also indicate that children have milder disease, better prognosis, and low mortality in comparison to adults,” the report accessed by news agency PTI said.

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“Most children with Covid-19 are asymptomatic, and amongst those symptomatic mild infections are predominant. Most children have a fever with respiratory symptoms, and often present with gastrointestinal symptoms (such as diarrhoea, vomiting, pain in the abdomen) and atypical manifestation compared to adults. The proportion of symptomatic children increases as age increases as does the severity in such age groups,” the report further added.

It also pointed out that the infection’s symptomatology in Indian children is globally comparable. The report said data of approximately 2,600 hospitalised children, below the age of 10 years (which excluded neonates) from 10 public and private hospitals in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and the Delhi-NCR region were taken for collection and analysis.

The report said that mortality rates among these surveyed children who were hospitalised due to Covid-19 was 2.4 per cent and about 40% of those children had died suffering from comorbidities. “Nine per cent of all hospitalised COVID-19 positive children presented with severe illness, under 10 years of age. The above observations were similar during the two surges of Covid-19 infections India has experienced,” the report highlighted.

Sheffali Gulati, Sushil K Kabra and Rakesh Lodha, three doctors from AIIMS also contributed to the report. Kabra said that less than 5% will require hospitalisation and the mortality rate among them is 2%.

“Say out of 1 lakh, 500 children get hospitalised and 2% of deaths are reported among them. So in one lakh, the mortality of just one or two children is seen. In children, as such the disease is less severe,” Kabra was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

“Very low proportion requires hospitalisation and a very small proportion of mortality is reported. Mortality is also contributed by underlying diseases in the form of comorbidities like diabetes, cancer, anaemia or severe malnutrition. In normal children, mortality is extremely rare,” he further added.

The report also highlighted that among older teens mortality rates are low but mortality appeared to be marginally higher for obese teens compared to those who are not obese.

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