ARKANSAS, USA — The Arkansas Department of Health confirmed that a third child has died due to COVID-19.
Officials previously shared last month that two other children under the age of 18 died as a result of the virus.
The first death occurred at the end of last year and was reported to ADH, but took additional time to receive confirmation from officials.
"The only details we can release are that the deaths occurred in children under 18 years old,” the ADH spokesperson said.
Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas's health secretary, shared during a press conference this week that around 19% of all active cases in the state are under 18 and more than half of that percentage are under 12.
"Between April and July of this year there's been a 517% increase in the number of cases in people under 18 with a nearly 690% increase in cases for children 12 and under. There's be an increase of nearly 270% in hospitalization among individuals less than 18 years of age," Dr. Romero said.
Cases have continued to surge throughout the state as the delta variant continues to spread with Arkansas reporting 2,838 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, along with 1,232 hospitalizations and 15 new deaths.
This month, more than 800 students in the Marion School District were forced to quarantine after at least 46 students tested positive for COVID in the first two weeks of school.