Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Odisha has seen 732 in the age group of 0-18 years getting infected by COVID since August 15 and 69,340 children have been found infected so far in the second wave, 27,787 had tested positive for the virus last year as per the department sources.
According to the reports, the infection rate in this age group is varying between 12 per cent and 15 per cent and there is no concrete study that it is being predicted that children and adolescents may have to bear the brunt during the third wave of the pandemic.
Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra stated that the state may see a surge in infection among children as they have not been vaccinated and there is every possibility of them contracting the virus from adult family members.
The second wave also saw 26 children – 14 boys and 12 girls, succumbing to the virus. The deaths of a 13-year-old boy, a month-old baby girl and a nine-year-old boy due to the deadly disease were confirmed. The highest of 13 were in the age group of seven to 14 years, followed by 8 in the 15-14 age group and five in the 0-6 age group. The virus had claimed 13 lives (10 boys and 3 girls) during the first wave.
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