Around 250 children have tested Covid positive in the last five days in Bengaluru, data from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has revealed. This comes at a time when neighbouring Kerala is witnessing a sudden surge in the number of Covid infections and the apprehension of a third wave of the pandemic is looming large.
Going by the civic body’s Covid bulletin, between August 5 and August 10, there have been around 250 children, aged between o to 19 years.
Here is a date-wise break-up of children testing positive
August 10
0 to 9 years – 18 cases
10 to 19 years – 27 cases
August 9
0 to 9 years — 18 cases
10 to 19 years – 24 cases
Also Read:Bengaluru Lockdown: Night curfew, Section 144 till August 16; 141 containment zones in city
August 8
0 to 9 years – 13 cases
10 to 19 years — 25 cases
August 6
0 to 9 years – 32 cases
10 to 19 years – 34 cases
August 5
0 to 9 years – 21 cases
10 to 19 years – 38 cases
The figure is in tune with the overall increase in Covid positive cases in Bengaluru, which started in July last week. Around 50 children have been testing Covid positive every day since the last week of July.
Children below the age of 18 years are thought to be at greater risk in the possible third wave of the pandemic, though experts have asserted that there is no scientific base behind this assumption. The assumption is based on the concept that children have not been affected much in the first two waves. But serosurvey data shows children have been equally exposed to the infection in the first two waves as they too have developed antibodies against the virus naturally.
During the second wave of the pandemic, Karnataka rereported a considerable number of children testing Covid positive.
Bengaluru Police have imposed Section 144 in the city while several restrictions have been put in place in the entire state. Schools for classes 9 to 12 will reopen from August 23, the state government announced a few days ago.
