The week 33 CDC report has 5 pediatric (ages 0-18 years) deaths, and media reports describe 13 more in the past two weeks. Most of these cases do not have obvious underlying health problems and most are in the south or California, where the school year started in early August. In many cases, the fatalities are in school districts where the absentee rate exceeds 10%. However, these schools are remaining open, and the fatalities are soaring. Moreover, these pediatric cases will lead to more serious adult cases in teachers and parents since school serve as an efficient transmission environment.

These clusters are also appearing further north in Tennessee (see map) or Pennsylvania (see map). In Ringgold Middle School the absentee rate in the 6th grade reached 44% and now the 7th grade is following suit with 60 students out. The number of absentees for the middle school is over 200, representing more than 25% of the school’s population and media reports cite one student as more seriously ill. Other school districts have closed to break the cycle, but the number of schools with 10% or more absent is growing, so the breaking of the cycle is difficult.

Reports of 200 or more students out in local schools, including Universities, are widespread, and most of these schools have only been in session for a few weeks. It is likely that these numbers will increase dramatically as more schools open and large school gatherings, including sporting events, increase.

Source/Full Story: recombinomics.com

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