Although younger teens may not be as likely to develop severe COVID-19 as adults, their hospitalization rates increased early this year with a large proportion being in critical care, noted the CDC COVID-NET surveillance data.

COVID-19 hospitalization rates for adolescents were found to be the highest in early January this year, with a peak of 2.1 per 100,000 youths aged 12 to 17 years.

The figure declined to 0.6 per 100,000 in mid-March, only to increase again to 1.3 per 100,000 in April, revealed Fiona P. Havers, of the CDC COVID-19 Response Team, and colleagues in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Around a third of the adolescent hospitalizations needed intensive care unit (ICU) admission, while around 5% required invasive mechanical ventilation. None of the patients died… (Medpage Today)