Pediatric Weekly dashboard update, Aug. 27

Thursday, OHA published its newest dashboard report of pediatric COVID-19 case data in Oregon.  This dashboard replaces the previous report and will be published weekly on Thursdays with the most recent full week’s data. A key finding this week is an increase in hospitalizations in children 0-5 years. This isn’t just in Oregon. Children are now being hospitalized in large numbers across the United States as the swift-moving Coronavirus Delta variant drives cases higher. “While an increase in COVID cases is difficult news to hear, it’s especially disheartening when there is a sharp rise in serious cases among the youngest people in our community. New hospital admission rates for kids due to COVID-19 in the U.S. have reached the highest levels since tracking pediatric cases started about a year ago. The Delta variant is more contagious than previous variants—and likely is causing more severe disease in children, as it is in adults—and is leading to a surge in pediatric hospitalizations nationwide. Please get vaccinated if you can and wear a mask to help stop COVID from spreading, especially to kids who can’t yet get the vaccine. Let’s work together to keep our community and our children safe,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, health officer and state epidemiologist for Oregon Health Authority.