In hot spots like Florida, the amount of children getting diagnosed with COVID-19 is only rising — especially as schools are beginning to be back in session.
In the latest data, Florida reported 8,995 new cases of COVID-19 in children over a two-week period this month — right as schools were beginning to reopen.
It serves as a reminder of how children are not completely immune to the virus.
The jump happened over a 15-day period in the middle of school reopening and was first called out by political website The Hill which compared the numbers from an August 9 report to one issued this past Monday.
Typically, schools in Florida reopen during the first week in August but many districts around the state chose to delay.
That being said, it may be too soon to determine just how many of them could directly come from schools reopening. It is safe to say that the rise in child infections is worrisome.
And when it comes to the breakdown among age groups, the FDH reported 17,311 cases among minors ages 14 to 17, 8,248 cases among 11- to 13-year-olds, 12,946 cases among kids aged 5 to 10, 7,616 cases among 1- to 4-year-olds and 2,609 cases among children less than 1.
In addition, the total number of hospitalizations among children with coronavirus-related symptoms in Florida also rose from 436 to 602 during the 15 days, and one child died.
RELATED: COVID-19 Long Haulers: Resources on Symptoms, Treatment, and Rehabilitation
So far, there have been a total of 48,730 cases of children with COVID-19.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis approved an emergency order penned by Florida Education Commisioner Richard Corcoran, who ordered all schools to reopen for in-person classes in August, despite a surge in coronavirus cases. The state also threatened to withdhold financial aid to most school districts who did not open classrooms by August 31.
And this past week, a judge ruled in favor of the teachers — granting a temporary injunction against the order.