14,000 Daily COVID Cases Likely In Odisha During Third Wave; Children At Risk

New Delhi: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic took us unaware. We did not bother to prepare for the second one and paid a heavy price for it and now, even as we anticipate the third wave to peak in October, a panel of experts constituted under the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) warned that children might be at similar risk as adults.

“If that happens, the daily infections in the country could touch 4 lakh and Odisha might see 14,000 cases every day with children most likely to be affected. However,  all arrangements are in place for their treatment,” said Director of Directorate of Medical Education & Training (DMET), CBK Mohanty.

According to Odisha Health Director Bijay Mohapatra, at least 23 out of 100 COVID-infected children would require hospitalisation. “COVID hospitals will be equipped with special facilities, the screening will continue. The infection rate is being analysed to keep things under control,” he added.

He further said that a COVID centre of excellence will be set up at the Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack at the earliest.

Of 8191 people who tested COVID-19 positive since August 15, 1049, are in the age group of 0-18 years, which is 12.80 per cent of the total infections reported during this period. While 69,657 children have been found infected so far in the second wave, 27,787 had tested positive for the virus last year, Health department sources said. There have been 29 deaths.

Meanwhile, the NIDM report submitted to the PMO said the “paediatric facilities — doctors, staff, equipment like ventilators, ambulances, etc. are nowhere close to what may be required in case a large number of children become infected. The group headed by NITI Aayog member VK Paul, in their recommendation shared with the government last month, has suggested preparing 23 hospitalisations for every 100 positive cases in a future COVID-19 infection surge.

This estimation is higher than the projection the group had made in September 2020 ahead of the second wave, when it calculated that about 20% of patients with “severe/ moderately severe” symptoms would require hospitalisation, The Indian Express reported.

The Centre is fully ready to tackle a possible third wave of COVID-19 and a provision of Rs 23,123 crore has been made for this purpose, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said on Friday. He said special emphasis is being given to strengthening paediatric care amid apprehension that the third wave may affect children more than others.

“The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is fully ready to tackle a possible third wave of COVID-19. A provision of Rs 23,123 crore has been made to deal with it,” said Thakur, who is also the minister for youth affairs and sports.

Some experts have warned that the third wave of COVID-19 may affect children more while others have said there is little reason to believe this theory. However, experts concur that there is a need to improve paediatric COVID services in the country.