Health and Medicine

COVID-19 Cases In Children Exploding Across Oregon, Health Authority Says

By Tiffany Eckert

Published September 10, 2021 at 5:43 PM PDT

The delta variant is reported to spread as easily as chicken pox and is spreading in younger people with a vengeance.

As the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads across Oregon, more and more children are testing positive for COVID-19. The Oregon Health Authority shared an update on pediatric cases in its report on the virus on Thursday.

Over 38,000 cases have been reported in those under the age of 18. That’s about 13% of all COVID-19 cases statewide, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

The authority’s senior health advisor Dr. Bukhosi Dube says young people are being infected with the delta variant, a stubbornly infectious mutation of the coronavirus.

He noted the death of an infant boy from Douglas County who tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 20 and died on Labor Day. The baby, who was under one year old, had underlying conditions.

“As a parent, I can say that this very sad. No parent should ever have to bury their child. I feel for those parents,” he said. “My heart aches for those parents and I’m very, very sorry for your loss.”

According to OHA, the infant is the third COVID-19 related death of an Oregonian under the age of 18.

Dube said there are symptoms to watch for in very young children, especially those who can’t talk yet: Fever, lethargy, runny nose, extreme fatigue, and if detectable, the loss of taste or smell. A COVID-19 test should be sought as soon as these symptoms appear, the internist physician said.