Since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, the age group with the lion’s share of COVID-19 cases has shifted from older adults to young people. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has delved into the demographics of these potential silent spreaders.
More than 275,000 confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported in children under 18 since March.
Twice as many cases occurred in adolescents ages 12–17 as in children ages 5–11.
Across both groups, 58% reported at least one symptom and 5% reported no symptoms, reinforcing concerns over silent spread.
Hispanic children accounted for the largest percentage in both groups, reporting 46% of cases among younger children and 39% among adolescents.
Children with more severe outcomes tended to have underlying conditions.
The report establishes a baseline for tracking the effectiveness of health care and policy strategies.
