New COVID-19 cases are surging among children in the United States, with a record-setting more than 61,000 infections diagnosed last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association confirmed on Monday.
According to the child health advocacy groups, which are tracking data reported by state health departments, a total of 853,635 children have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus nationwide since the pandemic began, or roughly 11% of all U.S. cases, and the percentage of pediatric cases has increased steadily from about 2% in mid-April.
“This is a stark reminder of the impact this pandemic is having on everyone — including our children and adolescents,” Dr. Sally Goza, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, stated in a news release.
“We can help protect everyone in our communities by keeping our physical distance, wearing masks, and following other recommendations from our doctors and public health experts,” Goza added.
According to the most recent figures, children account for fewer than 3.5% of current COVID-19 hospitalizations, and 121 children have died from the virus.
Those figures, however, do not include a 13-year-old Missouri boy who died over the weekend, less than two weeks after he last attended class, NBC News reported.
In light of the rising number of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations among all age groups nationwide, the academy urged families to boost precautions and even consider canceling holiday plans to keep themselves and their youngsters healthy, CNN reported.
“We are entering a heightened wave of infections around the country. We would encourage family holiday gatherings to be avoided if possible, especially if there are high risk individuals in the household,” Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, who chairs the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, stated.
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Cox Media Group
