JACKSONVILLE, Fla — In Florida, 31.1% of the children under 18 years old tested for COVID-19 have tested positive for the virus, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The latest numbers show 54,022 children under the age of 18 have been tested, and of those tested, 16,767 have tested positive.
Numbers from the department also show two children in Florida between the ages of 10 and 14 years old, and two more between the ages of 15 and 17, have died from the virus.
This comes as counties across Florida are preparing for students to return to brick-and-mortar schools for the 2020-2021 school year due to an emergency order from the Florida Department of Education.
Duval County has one of the highest percentages of children in Northeast Florida who have tested positive for COVID-19. In Duval County, 2,904 children have been tested and 26.3% of those tests are positive, according to the Department of Health.
Dr. Maria Martinez with 24/7 Pediatrics, says she's not surprised by the numbers, considering the overall increase in positive cases across the state.
"This is something we kind of expected with the number of adults that are testing positive," she said.
She also anticipates even more positive cases among children. "Realistically, we are going to see numbers go up if there is more close contact. I don't think there is a way around that," she told First Coast News.
Here is a county-by-county breakdown of children under 18 in Northeast Florida who have tested positive for the virus:
- Baker County - 8 children out of 62 tested(12.9%)
- Bradford County - 8 children out of 68 tested (11.8%)
- Clay County - 63 children out 480 tested (13.1%)
- Columbia County - 52 children out 251 tested (20.7%)
- Duval County - 765 children out of 2,904 tested (26.3%)
- Flagler County - 22 children out of 134 tested (16.4%)
- Nassau County - 31 children out of 162 tested (19.1%)
- Putnam County - 97 children out of 291 tested (33.3%)
- St. Johns County - 128 children out of 661 (19.4%)
- Union County - 17 children out of 54 tested (31.5 %)
