STURGIS, S.D. – With back to school looming and many districts concerned about COVID-19 outbreaks as kids return to the classroom, State Epidemiologist Dr. Joshua Clayton today gave a breakdown on how COVID-19 is affecting South Dakota’s youth.
He says as of Monday, 1,003 cases have been among those 0-19 years of age. Further breaking that down, Dr. Clayton says 322 of those have been among those 0-9 and 737 among those 10-19.
He says there is very little difference in the symptoms between the two groups and it’s affecting those with chronic conditions the worst.
“In total, we have very little difference in terms of symptom presentation between the two groups. Sixty-two-percent have had symptoms in that 0-9 year age group and 68-percent have had symptoms in the 10-19 year age range.”
As for hospitalizations, Dr. Clayton says “we have only had 24 total among that 0-19 year age category. We have had 46-percent of those individuals hospitalized having chronic conditions.”
Dr. Clayton says those chronic conditions they are seeing include heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes, immune or neurologic problems or being a smoker.
He says four-percent of the 0-9 cases have been hospitalized and two-percent of those who are 10-19 years of age have had to be hospitalized.
