The American Academy of Pediatrics said 61,000 children in the United States tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
The medical professionals said the new child cases reported is the highest weekly figure since the pandemic began. The cases were reported in a one-week period that ended Oct. 29.
The organization said that since the pandemic began up to Oct. 29, more than 853,000 children tested positive for the coronavirus. During October, nearly 200,000 new cases in children were reported by state health departments, who track the data
"This is a stark reminder of the impact this pandemic is having on everyone – including our children and adolescents," said AAP President Sally Goza, MD, FAAP said in a press release. "This virus is highly contagious, and as we see spikes in many communities, children are more likely to be infected, too. We can help protect everyone in our communities by keeping our physical distance, wearing masks, and following other recommendations from our doctors and public health experts."
The AAP said it believes the number of children with COVID-19 is higher because children's symptoms are often mild, and medical professionals may not test them for every illness."