The number and incidence of COVID-19 cases among children has increased “slowly” between March and July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a recently updated guide.
The government agency said Friday that the true period of infection is difficult to pinpoint due to the lack of widespread testing and the prioritization of testing for adults and those with serious illness.
CORONAVIRUS FALLS IN CHILDREN SPIKE IN CALIFORNIA, ATTACKED BY REPORTS
As of August 3, 7.3% of all reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States were among children, according to data obtained by the CDC. Children make up about 22% of the U.S. population.
“While children infected with SARS-CoV-2 are less likely to develop serious illness compared to adults, children are still at risk of developing serious disease and complications of COVID-19,” the CDC said.
A health care worker gives a girl a throat swab test at a Coronavirus (COVID-19) test center at MTO Shahmaghsoudi School of Islamic Sufism on August 11, 2020, in Los Angeles, California. (Mario Tama / Getty Images)
CORONAVIRUS FALLS JUMP 40% IN FREE CHILDREN IN AMERICAN CHILDREN: REPORT
Although “rates for hospitalization in children are significantly lower than hospitalization rates in adults,” rates for hospitalization for children are also higher.
Recent data show that the rate of hospitalization among children is 8.0 per 100,000 in comparison, while the rate for adults is around 164.5 per 100,000.
The CDC said children had lower rates of mechanical ventilation and death than adults, but warned that “1 in 3 children hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States were admitted to the intensive care unit,” which is the same in adults .
CORONAVIRUS TRANSMISSION HALL AMONG OLD SCHOOL CHILDREN, STUDY FIND
It remains unclear if children are as susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2 as adults and if they can transmit the virus as effectively as adults. However, they can still pass it on uncertainly.
Evidence suggests that about 45% of pediatric infections are asymptomatic, the CDC said.
Children with underlying medical conditions and infants may be at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease. To date, most children with severe illness have developed COVID-19 underlying medical conditions, the agency reported.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
