543 children in Bengaluru infected with Covid in over 11 days

BENGALURU: Amid fears of a spread of Covid-19 infection among children and debates over starting school in offline mode from August 23, at least 543 children in Bengaluru in the age-group of 0-18 have tested positive between August 1 and 11.

This is higher compared to the 510 children who tested positive between July 22 and July 31 an indicator that Covid-19 infection is spreading among children at a faster rate. According to the BBMP bulletin, between August 1 and 11, 210 children aged 0-9 years and 333 aged 10-18 years had reported positive. Of the total of 543, 270 are girls and 273 are boys. 

While the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is said to be targeting kids predominantly, the increasing infection among children in Bengaluru has become a cause for worry among parents and other stakeholders. 

Delay in vax for children worries parents

Continue d f ro m pag e 3 Parents’ worry seems justified as vaccination for those below 18 has not yet started even as the State Government is contemplating reopening schools in the offline mode, starting with Classes 9-12, from August 23.

While there is a rise in numbers, BBMP officials sought to play down the concerns a n d a l l a y fears. They sai d that although the numbers are rising, the positivity rate is not, and that the ratio of children testing positive to the daily positivity rate is constant, indicating that the entire family could have turned positive in cases where children were found to be positive. BBMP Special Commissioner (health), D Randeep, told The New Indian Express that absolute numbers do not convey anything.

The positive cases have remained between 12-14 per cent and has not gone above 15 per cent. A close watch is being kept on the total paediatric Covid-19 cases. “The positivity rate has been the same since July, and so there is no need to worry, ” he explained.