According to the health ministry data, in the five worst-affected states - Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi - 79,688 children have been infected by the novel coronavirus between March 1 and April 4, 2021. Of this, Maharashtra alone, has 60,684 children who tested positive between March 1 and April 4.

All Photos: Bipin Kokate

In Mumbai, there are only two hospitals that are equipped with dedicated isolation wards for children. Speaking to mid-day, Dr. Amin Kaba, consultant paediatrician at Byculla's Masina Hospital said, "Paediatric care is struggling across the city, but the situation is worse in suburban Mumbai, where treatment options are limited."

While the second COVID-19 wave has hit every corner of the world, this time, children have been the ones who are worse affected. Parents in Mumbai and across the state have been running from pillar to post to find a bed for their children, who have started testing positive for the deadly virus.

In photo: Mid-day photographer Bipin Kokate dressed in a PPE suit while on duty at the COVID-19 ICU Unit of Children's ward at SRCC Children's Hospital, Haji Ali in South Mumbai.

SRCC Children's Hospital in Mahalakshmi has a total of 16 beds - six in ICU and 10 in the kid's isolation ward. A parent or guardian is allowed to stay with the child in isolation as long as they wear the PPE gear for safety.

While most hospitals are not equipped with dedicated isolation wards for children, experts say that a child infected with COVID-19 poses a unique challenge. "The paediatrician needs to have a high degree of suspicion to reach a diagnosis. Secondly, it's near impossible to isolate the child without the caregiver. What's scary for adults is unimaginable for children. Add to this the petrifying experience of an ICU setup," says Dr. Amin Kaba.

Dr Soonu Udani, medical director of SRCC Children’s Hospital said that more symptomatic kids are coming to the facility this year compared to 2020. He also said that kids aged three to 15, who have tested positive for COVID-19 are really sick. "They have pneumonia, many are coming with encephalopathy, so there is dizziness and unconsciousness," he adds.

In order to ensure kids' recover from isolation trauma, the hospital staff gives them toys and a carrom board to keep them busy. At PGIMER in Chandigarh, isolated kids are kept engaged with cartoon shows and drawing sessions while Delhi’s Lok Nayak Hospital has set up a play area inside a dedicated COVID-19 ward for children.

While senior citizens and others are getting a jab against the virus, the question is can kids get vaccinated? To this, Dr. Soonu Udani says, "Kids respond amazingly to vaccines, and now is the right time to roll out immunisation for this age group. Trials are being done in some countries, and we can only hope they reach India soon."

In photo: A nursing staff dressed in a  PPE suit tries to teach and encourage a COVID-19 positive child admitted to the kid's isolation ward of SRCC Children's Hospital.