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NATION JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Indian Eye 7

Delta versus Omicron: Worries about

children getting sick as cases rise sharply

A study shows a steep increase in the daily progression of Omicron cases with its

preponderance in the community which was observed from 1.8% to 54%

OUR BUREAU As India reports COVID-19 in-
fection in children like other coun-
New Delhi/Mumbai
tries, considering the importance
ndia reported 2,64,202 fresh of the topic, an interactive webinar
COVID-19 cases in the last 24 session on ‘Managing Children with
Ihours with a positivity rate of 14.78 Covid-19’ is being organized by the
per cent, the Ministry of Health and Union Health Ministry in collabora-
Family Welfare informed on Friday. tion with All India institute of medi-
The fresh infections in the coun- cal sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, with re-
try are 6.7 per cent higher as com- gional and state center of excellence
pared to yesterday’s figures as India and Indian Medical Association on
reported 2,47,417 new COVID-19 Thursday.
cases on Thursday. Of the fresh in- “Omicron does affect the chil-
fections added today, Maharashtra dren but it is a mild disease. So, we
reported 46,406 new COVID-19 also need to keep in mind that the
cases, Delhi reported 28,867 new fear and the panic which is getting
COVID-19 cases, Karnataka report- created among the families, we must
ed 25,005 new COVID cases, Tamil A healthcare worker collects a nasal sample of a child for COVID-19 test, in wake of the recent be able to curtail it,” said Dr Prof
Nadu reported 20,911 new cases, Ashok Deorari, AIIMS, Delhi.
West Bengal reported 23,467 new cas- surge in Omicron-driven Coronavirus cases, in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo) Dr Rakesh Lodha, Head, Pro-
es, Uttar Pradesh added 14,765 fresh fessor, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit,
COVID-19 cases, Kerala reported AIIMS, Delhi, who was the speaker
13,468 new cases and the rest of the during the webinar, further explained
cases were added by other states. by showing the data about the infec-
With the addition of new cas- tion rate in children but more data is
es, the total cases of COVID-19 in still required.
India rose to 3,65,82,129 including He also explained the reason
12,72,073 active cases. Active cases behind children getting affected by
account for 3.48 per cent of the total COVID in comparison to adults and
cases. With 17,87,457 tests conducted the elderly population.
in the last 24 hours, a daily positivity “The Omicron is clearly more
rate of 14.78 per cent was observed contagious and against the values
which is also slightly higher as com- of R nought, which kind of gives an
pared to yesterday. On Thursday, the idea about how contagious it is, how
positivity rate was at 13.11 per cent. easily it can spread. Various groups
Most of the Omicron variant in- have estimated it to be much higher
fected patients of COVID-19 during than what was there for delta and for
the last week of December 2021 had the original virus. It’s believed to be
no travel history which indicates that more than seven, some groups have
there was eventual community trans- An artist makes a mural of healthcare workers on the wall of the Jangpura underpass during estimated even to be close to 10 or
mission, according to the study con- the weekend curfew imposed by the authorities, in view of the Omicron-driven COVID-19 cases, more than 10. And in that scenario,
ducted by the Department of Clinical it comes close to measles which is a
Virology, Institute of Liver and Bili- in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo) highly contagious disease that we see
ary Sciences, New Delhi. children.”
“The respiratory specimen of all transmission,” the study noted. The study, this is among the first from During the webinar, the team of
RT-PCR confirmed positive cases be- study also states that around 60.9 per India to provide the evidence of experts also suggested that in terms
tween November 25 -December 23, cent of COVID-19 infected people community transmission of Omi- of the diagnostics to detect COVID
2021, collected from five districts of showed a community spread. cron of coronavirus infection with remains the same.
Delhi were subjected to whole-ge- The study shows a steep increase significantly increased breakthrough The panel of doctors also dis-
nome sequencing. Complete de- in the daily progression of Omicron infections, decreased hospitalization cussed and explained the clinical fea-
mographic and clinical details were cases with its preponderance in the rates, and a lower rate of symptomat- tures of Covid19, Omicron clinical
also recorded. Hence, we analyzed community which was observed from ic infections among individuals with features, Omicron versus Delta and
the formation of local and familial 1.8 per cent to 54 per cent. high seropositivity against SARS- its effects on Children and risk factors
clusters and eventual community As per the interpretation of the CoV-2 infections. for severe diseases due to Omicron.

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