For reasons unknown, children rarely have severe symptoms when infected by COVID-19 and may even be a bit less likely to get the disease in the first place, experts told AFP. But that doesn’t mean infants, toddlers and teens are not carriers for the new coronavirus, which jumped from animals to humans in central China at the end of last year. As of Friday, there were over 140,000 confirmed cases in 124 countries, with more than 5,000 deaths. Experts estimate that the true number of infections — many with mild or no symptoms — is far higher. “We know children get infected with the virus, but they don’t appear to get very sick or die,” said Justin Lessler, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “What we don’t know is how much these asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic kids transmit,” he told AFP. “This is key to understanding their role in the epidemic.” In a study from mid-February of 44,000 confirmed cases in and around the city of Wuhan, where the pandemic began, the 10-to-19 age bracket made up one percent of infections and a single death. Patients under 10 comprised less than one percent, with no deaths reported. “We are still trying to wrap our heads around the deficit of cases among those under 20,” said Cecile Viboud, an epidemiologist at the US National Institute of Health’s Fogarty International Centre. There are several theories as to why kids, especially young ones, are less prone to serious symptoms.
متعلقہ مضامین
-
Government failing to rein in load shedding despite cooler weather
-
India developing atomic submarines: Pakistan
-
WB pauses dam arbitration to protect Indus Waters Treaty
-
Two schemes for small farmers given withholding tax exemption
-
UK-based PML-N leader scams millions from innocent people
-
Hoti wants FATAs merger in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
-
‘Some’ politicians bringing negativity to society: Nawaz
-
COAS visits Karachi, briefed over ‘Karachi Operation’
-
Give advice, not dictation, Fazl to Bilawal
-
Sindh equals KPs polio score
-
Qatari prince prohibited from houbara bustard hunting
-
COAS assures enduring peace for Karachi