Increase in children with COVID-19 prompts caution from York Region health officer

More than 20 children have been infected recently, Dr. Karim Kurji says

Newmarkettoday.ca
June 29, 2020
Debora Kelly

Dr. Karim Kurji, York Region's medical officer of health. File photo/NewmarketToday
With a small spike of more than 20 children with COVID-19 recently, York Region's medical officer of health is urging parents to ensure precautions continue to be taken.

All of the children have experienced mild symptoms, and none have required hospitalization, Dr. Karim Kurji said in a video update today.

However, a recent report from the Hospital for Sick Kids emphasizes that the mental health effects of COVID-19 in children seem to be worse than the physical effects of COVID-19, he said.

As of today in York Region, there are 16 COVID-19 cases in children aged under five, and 110 cases aged five to 19.

Two Newmarket children under the age of five currently have COVID-19, acquired through close contact. Of the nine Newmarket cases aged five to 19, four were acquired through close contact and one by community transmission. The four remaining cases, acquired through institutional outbreak, are resolved.

Most of the children have been infected as a result of close contact with a member of their household or neighbours, Kurji said.

According to studies in the Netherlands, children tend to have mild symptoms and tend to have acquired the virus from close contacts and -- and unlike with influenza -- they don't appear to be transmitting the disease to others, he said.

Parents can get more information, including suggestions about how to talk to children about COVID-19, on the region's website.

The number of cases, for the most part, is continuing to drop in York Region, Kurji said, and so is the risk of acquiring the virus.

The number of cases currently is seven per 100,000 population per week, and of the average of 1,000 people being tested every day, the positivity rate is around one per cent -- "Again, good statistics," Kurji said.

However, according to the public health unit's data, it's evident some daily spikes in COVID-19 cases are occurring, he acknowledged.

"If you look around us at other countries, you realize it doesn't take long for the virus to come back with a vengeance," Kurji said. "So it is very important that we continue to exercise tremendous vigilance to keep our community safe.

"And again, we don't want to bring COVID-19 into our families, so it is important that we carry on with our lives with those hygiene principles that have been stressed over and over again."

Residents are urged to maintain a physical distance of two meters, wear masks if you can't physically distance, wash your hands regularly, and stay at home, other than going for testing, if you have symptoms.