US: 97,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 in 16-30 July period

The new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association found that 97,078 children have tested positive for COVID-19 in the 16-30 July period, with more than 338,000 cases reported since the onset of the United States epidemic.

The report released just weeks before millions of American students are scheduled to begin the new school year.

The number of fresh coronavirus cases among children in the US rose 40% in the last two weeks of July.

While health experts are keeping an eye on coronavirus infections among children, President Donald Trump has pushed states to allow students to physically return to classrooms.

REPORTER: 97,000 children tested positive for coronavirus in the last week of July. Does that give you any pause about schools reopening for in-person learning?

TRUMP: No

REPORTER: So do you still think kids are essentially immune?

TRUMP: Yeah [this is false — kids can die] pic.twitter.com/5UCuRkOuRK

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 10, 2020

However, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted the data showed that severe illness due to COVID-19 appears to be rare among children.

The United States has recorded more than five million cases of COVID-19. The US has more cases than any other country in the world, by a huge margin.