Analysis: 15 percent of US coronavirus cases are now children

Recent reports show that children are accounting for 15 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as the delta variant causes an uptick in cases around the country.

According to new data collected by the American Academy of Pediatrics, almost 94,000 COVID-19 cases in children were reported over a two-week period from July 29 to Aug. 5, which the academy dubbed “a continuing substantial increase.” The outbreak increased the total number of child cases by 4 percent.

“After declining in early summer, child cases have steadily increased since the beginning of July,” the report added.

Since the pandemic began, nearly 4.3 million children have tested positive for the virus — 14.3 percent of total cumulative cases.

The new figures come as children’s hospitals in COVID-19 hot spots have reported an increase in young patients battling the virus.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock reported that of 23 patients admitted for COVID-19 under the age 18, 10 were in the ICU and five were placed on ventilators.

St. Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri had more than a dozen patients come in with COVID-19 infections last week, noted NBC News.

The American Academy of Pediatrics noted that although “at this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is uncommon among children,” the long-term impacts on their physical and mental health and remain unclear. 

“There is an urgent need to collect more data,” the report noted.