STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Covid-19 casualty of children in both the waves is much less than that of adults in Assam. However, giving complacency no room, the State Health Department is taking all measures to safeguard children from the pandemic in the event of a third wave.
According to the Health Department, till July 10, 2021, the Covid-19 casualty trend in both the waves in the state is—
(i) Twenty-six of the 9,426 Covid-affected children of the age group 0-5 years and 29 of the 45,569 affected children of the age group 6-18 died.
(ii) As many as 1,585 of the 1,07,522 Covid-affected people in the age group 46-60 died.
(iii) n the age group 61-75, as many as 1,565 of the 36,362 affected people succumbed to the pandemic.
(iv) Among the 76+ people, 619 of the 7,433 affected people lost their lives.
(v) In the 19-30 age group, only 170 of the 1,46,424 Covid-affected people died of the pandemic.
(vi) On the contrary, 818 of the 1,64,458 Covid-affected people lying in the age group 31-45 years died of the viral infection.
(vii) The total Covid-19 toll in the State till July 10 was 4,812 against 5,17,194 positive cases.
(viii) The department conducted 1,61,01,315 Covid tests till July 10. While the overall positivity rate was 3.31 per cent, the recovery rate was 95.10 per cent.
Talking to The Sentinel, State Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr Anoop Kumar Barman said, "Though the Covid-19 has affected children in the state, yet their casualty is much less than that of adults. Some of the children who died of the pandemic had comorbidities. Generally, children have more immunity than adults."
Dr Barman is also the chairman of the Covid Death Audit Board, Assam.
The ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has set the alarm bell ringing that the third wave of the pandemic is likely to affect children the most. Against this backdrop, the State Health Department has already installed some Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) in the state medical colleges and hospitals. And more PICUs are in the process of installation. The department is also going to set up such PICUs in district hospitals as well.
Also Watch: