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- Published: June 2, 2021 17:01
New Delhi: A very concerning development is coming from Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar as nearly 9,000 children were tested COVID-19 positive in the month of May. As per sources, The Uddhav Thackeray government has taken note of the alarming spike in cases and directed the district administration to prepare a strategy to deal with the situation.
Ahmednagar District Collector Rajendra Bhosale informed, “Till now in Ahmednagar district, around 2,52,979 have tested positive.”
The state government has directed to set up special wards for children in private hospitals and ensure the supply of essential medicines. Nearly 100 children are asymptomatic.
Bhosale said, “In April, below 18 years, a total of 7,607 have tested positive.. In the month of May, a total of 8,881 cases reported.. This translates to around 9.49% in April and in May 11.40%.. in the month of May, Minors below the age of 1yr- 85 cases reported.. age group between 1-10yr – 2694 tested positive.. from 11-18yrs age group – 6102 have tested positive.. total 8881 minors have tested positive to covid in Ahmednagar district..”
Out of the 9,928 minors who contracted the viral infection, more than 6,000 were in the age group of 11 to 18, 3,100 were in the 1 to 10 years age bracket, while some were also below the age of one.
“Since around 95 per cent of them were asymptomatic, there is nothing to worry about. However, considering the threat of a possible third wave of Covid-19, it has now become paramount to take utmost care of children,” the collector said.
It is anticipated that third wave of the pandemic is likely to affect children in more numbers.
CM Uddhav Thackeray said that they are fully geared up to tackle the third wave and asked health authorities to be alert and appealed to people to consult doctors immediately if children show any symptoms.
“I don’t know when and what date the third wave will come. So we should not let our guard down,” he had said.
Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded 14,123 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest since March 10, and 477 fresh deaths and also added 377 previously unreported fatalities, the state health department said.