YCPHD: County continues to see increase in children contracting COVID-19
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Public health director Diana Gomez provided a COVID-19 update to the Yuma County Board of Supervisors Wednesday morning. She revealed the county continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases in children.
Children from birth to 12 years old are still not eligible for the vaccine, making them more susceptible to the more powerful variants of the virus.
In June, there were six clinically reported cases. A month later, 27 more children contracted the virus whether they were showing symptoms or not. There was a massive spike in august when another 293 cases were reported. So far this month 82 children have tested positive.
She says it’s the responsibility of the rest of us to do our best to protect the younger kids.
Gomez had another warning.
“The one thing we want to keep in mind is we don't want to overwhelm the healthcare system. That's always been what we've tried to avoid overwhelming the healthcare system then requires decision making, everything is about making decisions, and then having to possibly cancel elective surgeries or postpone proposed procedures because you know you need those beds for COVID,” she said.
Currently, 48 people are hospitalized - 13 of them are in the COVID ICU. We continue to report most are unvaccinated. Gomez says, as of Wednesday, 55% of the Yuma County residents have been vaccinated.
