Children can have both COVID-19 antibodies, virus in their system simultaneously: Study
Washington: Children may still have the potential to transmit the novel coronavirus even if they have a measurable immune response, according to a new study which says the virus and antibodies can coexist in young patients.
The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, used a retrospective analysis of 6,369 children tested for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and 215 patients who underwent antibody testing at the Children's National Hospital in the US between March 13 and June 21.
According to the scientists, including those from the hospital, 33 of the 215 patients had co-testing for both the virus and antibodies during their COVID-19 disease course, with nine of the 33 showing presence in their blood while also later testing positive for the virus.
"With most viruses, when you start to detect antibodies, you won't detect the virus anymore. But with COVID-19, we're seeing both," said Burak Bahar, lead author of the study from the Children's National Hospital.
According to Bahar, the next phase of research will be to test if the virus that is present alongside the antibodies can be transmitted to other people.
She added that it also remains unknown if the antibodies detected in the children correlate with immunity, and how long antibodies and potential protection from reinfection last.
When the scientists assessed the timing of viral clearance and immunologic response, they found the average time from viral positivity to negativity, when the virus can no longer be detected, was 25 days.
The median time to seropositivity, or the presence of antibodies in the blood, was 18 days, while the median time to reach adequate levels of neutralising antibodies was 36 days.
Neutralising antibodies are important in potentially protecting a person from re-infection of the same virus.
The scientists also found that patients six through 15 years old took a longer time to clear the virus compared to patients 16 through 22 years old.
Females in the 6-15 age group also took longer to clear the virus than males, they added.
While there is emerging data regarding this timing in adults with COVID-19, the researchers said there is far less data when it comes to the pediatric population.
"The takeaway here is that we can't let our guard down just because a child has antibodies or is no longer showing symptoms," Bahar said, adding that the continued role of good hygiene and social distancing "remains critical."
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New Year stabbings rock Delhi, leave 3 dead
New Delhi (PTI): The New Year evening was streaked with blood with three almost back-to-back stabbings leaving an equal number of people dead in Delhi.
Bihari Lal, 50, was allegedly stabbed in an attack by a group of juveniles when he asked them to stop shouting and playing loud music in northwest Delhi's Lal Bagh area.
A tailor by profession, Bihari Lal had just returned home Thursday evening from his job in Shastri Nagar, when he was faced with a raucous mob of revellers, whom he chastised for making noise.
"This led to a heated exchange, during which one of the juveniles stabbed Lal," a police officer said, adding that one of the boys kicked the victim several times during the fight.
Bihari Lal was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Police apprehended a juvenile in connection with the killing and seized the weapon of the crime. A hunt for the rest involved in the fight is on.
An FIR was registered at the Adarsh Nagar Police Station, and investigators are examining eyewitness accounts and CCTV footage from the area.
Bihari Lal's family and neighbours alleged that the group was notorious for creating disturbance in the area.
"He had just returned from duty and was parking his cycle when they came and started abusing everyone, throwing buckets, boxes and people's belongings. Bihari Lal only told them not to use abusive language and shout, as there were women and children around. That was all he said," Dimple, a neighbour, recounted.
Pushpa, a relative, alleged that the group had been terrorising residents for some time. "They keep throwing bottles, stones and sticks, and nobody does anything. We complained earlier, but no action was taken. The police never did anything," she said.
Pushpa said four boys were involved in the attack and "they stabbed him three times."
Hours later, in outer Delhi's Mangolpuri, an e-rickshaw driver, Vikas, was stabbed in a fight.
According to police, Vikas and his friend Sandeep, a daily-wage labourer, both aged 20, were sitting together when a group of youths started a fight with them.
"During the altercation, one of the accused stabbed Vikas, causing fatal injuries. Sandeep also suffered a minor lacerated wound," an officer said.
Both were taken to a nearby hospital, where Vikas was declared dead.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victims and the attackers had bad blood, police said.
All six accused, four of them underage, involved in the stabbing were apprehended, police said.
The same evening, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death in nearby Sultanpuri.
Around 11.30 pm, police were informed that a group of men had attacked a minor with a knife.
"A police team rushed to the spot and found the injured boy lying on the road with multiple stab wounds," an officer said.
The victim, whose identity was not revealed by the police, was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
Vikram, a man aged about 30 with a history of crime, was arrested for allegedly killing the boy.
During interrogation, Vikram, who police said has six criminal convictions, revealed that two more men were with him at the time of the stabbing. A search for them has been launched.
The boy's mother said her son had been threatened several times before by the attackers, but police took no action.
"My son had gone out only to get some juice when a few people started abusing him, and a fight broke out. I ran downstairs from my sister's house and begged them not to harm my son. Instead, they took out a knife and attacked me. I somehow ran into a shop, where I saw my son being stabbed in front of my eyes," the boy's mother, Bali, said.
She said that the accused had earlier also entered her house armed with weapons. "I informed the police, but no action was taken."
The boy was her only son.
The motive of the killing is yet to be ascertained by the police.
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