Some evidence shows children could be Covid spreaders: ICMR

Speaking on the coronavirus infection spread in the country among children, Bhargava said tat overall the figure in India is that below the age of 17 years, only 8 per cent are Covid-19 positive.

There is some evidence which shows that children who were earlier thought to be protected against coronavirus infection can be “spreaders, rather than super-spreaders”, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said on Tuesday.

Over Kawasaki disease and presumably a link with Covid-19, Bhargava said India so far has not reported any cases of Kawasaki disease among Covid-19 patients. (HT Photo)

Speaking on the coronavirus infection spread in the country among children, Bhargava said tat overall the figure in India is that below the age of 17 years, only 8 per cent are Covid-19 positive.

“Below five years, the figure would probably be less than a per cent but then we can come back with a figure for this,” he said. In response to a question over surge in cases among children in Mizoram, there are 315 active coronavirus cases in the state as on date. Over Kawasaki disease and presumably a link with Covid-19, Bhargava said India so far has not reported any cases of Kawasaki disease among Covid-19 patients.

Kawasaki is an auto-immune disease that affects children who are less than five years of age and presents with fever, Thrombocytosis and a condition in which the arteries of the heart become dilated and aneurysm. So this is a rare condition which affects more males than females. The disease is more common in the US and less common in India, Bhargava said at a press briefing.