There has been a 90% increase in the number of Covid-19 cases among American children in the last four weeks, according to a report published Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Association of Children’s Hospital.
According to this new report, expected to be updated weekly, there were 179,990 new Covid-19 cases among U.S. children between July 9 and August 6. the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.
Some of the increase may be due to more testing, AAP said. Somewhere in the pandemic, testing was reserved for the sick. A broader number of tests can identify children who have fewer or milder symptoms than those previously tested in the pandemic.
Children make up just over 9% of the total cases in states reporting cases by age, according to the report. At least 380,174 total children reported Covid-19 cases as of August 6th.
As of now, severe symptoms are still rare in children with Covid-19 infections. Children accounted for between 0.5% and 5.3% of total hospitalizations, according to data from the states that record that information. Children ranged from 0% to 0.4% of all Covid-19 deaths.
Nineteen states have not reported child deaths. In states that followed the details, 0% to 0.5% of all Covid-19 children resulted in cases.
The AAP called for an effective testing strategy so that communities can make the right choice about opening schools.
“The data – although limited because of its dependence on how each state reports its cases – underscores the urgent need to control the virus in communities so that schools can reopen,” an AAP news release said.
“In areas with rapid spread of the community, it is likely that more children will also be infected, and this data shows that,” AAP president Dr Sally Goza said in the news release. “As a pediatrician, I encourage people to wear cloth covers and be zealous in social distance and hand washing. It is up to us to make the difference, community by community. ”
The World Health Organization said last week that the coronavirus pandemic is starting to spread worldwide in the younger population, while most cases, in humans, are between 25 and 64.
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