Guwahati: Assam is ramping up its paediatric critical care units in all medical colleges in the state, as well as district hospitals after statistics showed that more than 34 thousand children below the age of 18 have tested positive for the COVID 19 virus during the second wave of the pandemic.
The nodal agency the National Health Mission maintains records of the COVID 19 infection has said that out of the 2.8 lakh Covid-positive cases between April 1 and June 26 this year, 34,606 fell the under-18 age group.
While 5,755 children under five years of age tested positive, 28,851 infections were recorded in the six to 18 age group.
“Among the children affected, most of them are in the 10 to 18 age group,” Health Minister Keshab Mahanta told the local media.
“We are taking several steps including ramping up paediatric ICUs in all medical colleges in the state, as well as district hospitals,” he said.
Since the last few days, there are reports from various corners of the state that children are falling prey to the COVID 19 infection. On Monday, 11 children in a special children’s home at Tezpur in Sonitpur district tested positive for the virus.
Assam currently has 25,790 active cases, with a positivity rate of 2.01 per cent.
Meanwhile, 12 COVID 19 positive patients died on a single day in Guwahati Medical College on Monday.
However, authorities have clarified that all the deaths were not sudden. The patients in the age group of 50-85 years reported to the hospital with oxygen saturation below 90 per cent.
