Covid-19 in India: the second wave particularly affects young people
A sample is taken from a child as part of a screening against Covid-19 on April 15, 2021 in New Delhi.
© AP / Altaf Qadri
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
India continues to fight against the violent second wave of Covid-19, which has exploded the number of cases: more than 200,000 recorded in the last 24 hours, an absolute record for the country.
What worries the authorities is that this new form of virus is more contagious, and that it particularly affects young people, and even children.
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With our correspondent in New Delhi
,
Sébastien Farcis
The head of government of New Delhi takes on his most solemn air, like a worried father: during this wave, he said, 65% of people affected by Covid-19 in the capital were under 45 years old.
This also alarms Doctor Souradipta Chandra, general practitioner in the Helvetia analysis laboratory in New Delhi.
“
The new mutation seems to affect people aged 15 to 45 the most.
I have never seen pediatric patients before, now I see children aged 10, 12 or 14 affected by Covid,
he says.
They have symptoms.
I haven't seen any severe cases yet, and I guess severe cases will go to a pediatrician instead.
But I have been informed of cases of children who have had high fevers.
"
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To read also: Covid-19 in India: massive religious gatherings despite the record of contaminations
At New Delhi's largest Covid-19 hospital, eight children under the age of 12 are being admitted right now, one of whom is only 8 months old.
Treating them is more difficult, because there is not yet a dedicated Covid-19 space in the pediatric wards, and many of the drugs used cannot be given to these children.
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To read also: Covid-19: India submerged by a big wave of contamination
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