MSDH confirms sixth child COVID-19 death as pediatric cases continue to rise

Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal - 8/25/2021

Aug. 25—TUPELO — The Mississippi State Department of Health reported an additional pediatric COVID-19 death on Wednesday, the sixth in Mississippi since the pandemic began.

The child was younger than 5 years old, State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said during a press conference.

Of the pediatric deaths attributed to COVID-19, two were under the age of 5, one was between the ages of 6 and 10 and three were between the ages of 11 and 17.

MSDH started seeing an increase in the number of pediatric hospital admissions in mid-June and early July as the delta variant surged, Byers said. That trend has continued as case counts continue to rise.

"We've seen increases in pediatric patients who've had to be either in the intensive care unit for treatment or have been on the ventilator," Byers said.

The percentage of COVID-19 cases among children ages 5 to 17 increased sharply in July and August.

"With the increasing case numbers that we're seeing in these age groups, we're going to continue to see some increased hospitalizations," Byers said. "And unfortunately, some children who are infected with COVID will have some more severe complications that require more intensive care, although again, a vast majority of children do recover."

Children's of Mississippi, part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, is the only hospital in the state dedicated exclusively to caring for children. UMMC reported 23 children COVID-19 inpatients on Wednesday.

Jim Craig, MSDH Senior Deputy and Director of Health Protection, said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response were having conversations Wednesday with the children's hospital to see if there are ways to continue supporting them.

"As far as surge ICU, it's the same problem we have in the adult (hospital)," Craig said. "It's making sure we have enough staffing. We believe we have enough beds if we just have enough staffing."

Most hospitalized children are unvaccinated, and MSDH continues to encourage parents to make sure children 12 years and older are fully vaccinated in an effort to protect them from the virus.

As students and teachers have returned to the classroom for the 2021-22 school year, cases and quarantines have continued to increase.

At least 5,763 Mississippi students and 945 teachers/staff tested positive for COVID-19 during the week of Aug. 16-20, according to MSDH data. During that same time, 28,990 students were quarantined, along with 1,132 teachers.

"We're in a hard time, and I think the schools are doing as best they can under the circumstances," Byers said. "We work very closely with the schools."

Many schools have signed up with MSDH to collaborate on testing, and the department has provided testing kits and supplies to at least 34 schools and districts across the state interested in participating. Another 50 schools are interested in having a vendor come out and provide testing, Byers said.

More than 11,700 students and 2,300 teachers have tested positive for the virus since school began in Mississippi during the first week of August.

"We're still seeing a lot of cases in young kids, so I anticipate that we are going to continue to see a lot of pressure on the schools," Byers said.

blake.alsup@djournal.com

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