PHOENIX – The data from the largest hospital network in the state show that hospital admissions for COVID-19 pediatric patients for January are almost six times higher than in October.
ABC15 receives internal data from Banner Health showing that nearly 800 children have been admitted to their Arizona hospitals.
Banner Health shared the graph below showing the number of children (under 18) admitted.
In an email, Banner Health said:
Note: These statistics for Banner’s Arizona hospitals are not specific to patients treated in the ICU. It also includes patients in need of lower care.
- 795 Children (18 years and younger) have been admitted to COVID since 1 October 2020
- In November, 2.5 times more children were admitted with COVID than in October 2020
- In December, 5 times more children were admitted with COVID than in October 2020
- In January 2021, it appears that 6 times more children will be admitted with COVID than in October 2020. (January number is projected, not year-to-date.)
A recent report released by JAMA Pediatrics last week found that Arizona had the second-highest rate of child hospital admissions per 100,000 during the May-November study period.
At the end of the study, Hawaii and New Hampshire had the lowest rates at 4.3 and 3.4 per 100,000, respectively, and South Dakota and Arizona had the highest rates at 33.7 and 32.8 per 100, respectively. 000, “the study said.
“Symptoms in children are generally milder than in adults, and almost all pediatric patients can be recovered and discharged, but the trend we are seeing with more COVID-19 patients is significant,” Banner Health officials said.
Banner Health officials say they have capacity for children in their hospitals, and that there is no issue about capacity.
“Parents need to ensure that their children connect safely with others to protect them and reduce the further spread of COVID-19 in the community,” Banner Health officials said.