The city has begun to report a spurt in Covid cases among children. This comes at a time when experts have warned of a possible third wave and its worrying impact on children. Between August 21 and 28, Mumbai saw 274 children below 19 years contracting the disease, which is 10.78 per cent of all cases, and 65 of them are less than nine years old, say official numbers. Over the past few days, 15 inmates of an orphanage at Byculla and 18 at the Mankhurd children’s home have tested Covid positive.

Officials said the trend is not an isolated one and that the share of Covid among children has ballooned from March, surpassing 13 per cent in June.  The average infections in children compared to all cases since the beginning of the pandemic stand at 6.5 per cent. The situation can be attributed to mass vaccination of 18-plus citizens and the partial reopening in the past few months, said officials, adding that there are no vaccines available for children yet.