Fifty-seven girls at a state-run children’s shelter home in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district have tested positive for Covid-19, with five of them found to be pregnant.
Two other girls in the shelter home, who are also pregnant, have tested negative for the virus. One of the inmates has also tested HIV positive and another inmate has hepatitis.
The girls were exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 for some time but there was “delay” in taking them to the hospital for tests.
“The five pregnant girls, who have been found Covid-19 positive, were referred by the Child Welfare Committees of Agra, Etah, Kannauj, Firozabad and Kanpur under the Pocso Act. Two other pregnant girls have tested negative for Covid-19. The seven girls were pregnant at the time, when they came to the shelter home,” Kanpur DM Brahma Dev Ram Tiwari told reporters.
All girls found Covid-positive are being treated at the Kanpur Medical College. The shelter home has been sealed, and its staff has been quarantined.
The revelation of the coronavirus outbreak at the shelter home has raised serious questions over the management of state-run homes for juveniles.
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