In the week ending Nov. 19, there were 144,145 new cases of COVID-19 in children, “by far the highest weekly increase since the pandemic began,” the American Academy of Pediatrics reported Monday.
Nearly 1.2 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, AAP reported. The age distribution of reported COVID-19 cases was provided on the health department websites of 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Children represented 11.8% of all cases in states reporting cases by age.
Fourteen states, including Georgia reported more than 30,000 new cases in children. The Peach State was 10th, with 37,193 new cases in children 17 years old and younger. That equates to 9.4% of Georgia’s total number of cases, according to AAP.
By Oct. 29, more than 853,000 children had tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, AAP said earlier in November. This included nearly 200,000 new cases in children during October alone — 61,000 of them during the last week of that month, larger than any previous week during the eight-month pandemic.
“This is a stark reminder of the impact this pandemic is having on everyone — including our children and adolescents,” said AAP President Dr. Sally Goza in a statement. “This virus is highly contagious, and as we see spikes in many communities, children are more likely to be infected, too.”
The AAP’s latest report comes just days before many people plan to gather for Thanksgiving.
The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease and Prevention discouraged Americans from traveling this holiday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“CDC is recommending against travel during the Thanksgiving period,” Dr. Henry Walke, the agency’s COVID-19 incident manager, said Nov. 19. “For Americans who decide to travel, CDC recommends doing so as safely as possible by following the same recommendations for everyday living.”
Despite those warning, about 1 million Americans a day packed airports and planes over the weekend.
About the Author
