Alabama has reported an increase in COVID-19 cases among children as the school year begins.
On Thursday, 5,571 teens between the ages of 5 and 17 tested positive for coronavirus last week, the Alabama Department of Public Health, USA Today reported. During the same time period of 2020, 702 children had contracted COVID-19.
The state stressed this sharp difference in case loads earlier this month.
Last Friday, the state Department of Public Health noted that between Aug. 1 and 12, Alabama saw 6,181 children ages 5 to 17 who had contracted COVID-19. In 2020, during this same time period, the state registered 1,356 cases.
“In the last four weeks, 6.2% of COVID-19 cases in Alabama have been between children ages 0 to 4, while 8.1% have been between 5 and 17 years old.” tthe Alabama Department of Public Health said in a statement last Friday.
The Alabama Hospital Association told CNN earlier this month that the state had reached a breaking point after running out of ICU beds and was in fact “in a negative 11 “from places in intensive care units.
NBC’s affiliate, WSFA, reported Thursday that 40 patients needed intensive care. The media reported that according to the Alabama Hospital Association, there were 1,602 ICU patients as of Thursday, but there were only 1,562 beds with staff.
In Alabama, approximately 57% of people 12 years of age or older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 43% are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, efforts to control COVID-19 among young children have been complicated, as the vaccine has only been authorized for use in children 12 years of age or older.
Pfizer and Moderna have said they have started testing their vaccine on younger children.