Pune: Covid-19 infections in children witness slight rise in July first week

Children accounted for 9.77 per cent of the overall Covid-19 positivity rate between March 1 and June 30

Pune is witnessing a slight rise in number of Covid-19 infections among children in the first week of July sending warning bells about the Covid 3rd wave. The city in Maharashtra is also experiencing a slight rise in number of infections in children in the first week of July.

According to the Pune Municipal Council data, 268 infections were recorded among children out total 2,065 registered Covid-19 cases in the first week of July. Moreover, four out of 40 deaths due to Covid related complications were those of children for the same period.

Children accounted for 9.77 per cent of the overall Covid-19 positivity rate between March 1 and June 30, but the number now slightly increased to 9.8 per cent on July 7 with 27,211 cases. Active cases in children increased from 324 in June end to 356 on July 7. Total active cases in the same period increased from 2,871 on June 30 to 2,557 on July 7.

In the last four months, ending June 30, 21 children died of Covid-19 complications in Pune and the mortality rate now stands at 0.09 per cent as of July 7. There are currently 356 active cases among children out of which 57 were hospitalised with oxygen and the remaining were only on hospital care. None of the children required critical care like ICU or ventilator.

To grapple with the impending Covid third wave, the municipal officials have already made a provision of 3, 429 beds out of which 1, 719 beds are for hospitals and 1, 710 beds are demarcated for treatment of children.

At the government facility of Covid treatment for children, there will be 320 oxygen beds, 1,300 non-oxygen beds, 30 ventilators, 60 ICU beds. In private hospitals, there will be 1,083 oxygen beds, 242 ICU beds and 143 ventilator beds, and remaining non-oxygen beds.