Childhood-19 infections are on the rise again, with more than 164,000 new cases last week, pediatricians’ report says
The report said the number of new cases in children last week increased by nearly 24% compared with the previous week. In the week ending December 9, there were at least 164,289 new cases in children – 31,000 more new cases than the previous week.
The number of cases is still considered “extremely high”, with the number of new cases in children accounting for a disproportionate proportion. Children account for about a quarter of all new cases, but only 22.2% of the US population, the report said.
The report said that since the beginning of September, there have been nearly 2.1 million new Covid-19 infections among children. This is the 18th consecutive week that more than 100,000 children have been diagnosed with Covid-19.
Children are still less likely to be hospitalized with Covid-19 than adults, but in states that report hospital admissions by age, children account for 1.7% to 4% of those in need of treatment. hospital stays for Covid-19, a number that has been consistent throughout the pandemic, the AAP report said.
Deaths also make up a small percentage of the total number of cases. Six states reported no child deaths from Covid-19.
According to the academy, in states that report deaths by age, 0% to 0.03% of all childhood Covid-19 cases result in death. But 992 children have died from Covid-19 in the US since the start of the pandemic, an increase of 18 since last Monday, according to the CDC.
For younger children, it is unclear when or even when they will need booster shots. Pfizer told CNN on Monday that it is still reviewing the data. The company says it has yet to begin research on boosters in this young demographic. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson do not yet have a Covid-19 vaccine for children under the age of 18.
CNN’s Maggie Fox contributed to this report.