Just days after Donald Trump falsely claimed that children are “almost immune” to COVID-19, it was announced that a 7-year-old African-American boy has passed away from the virus. According to the Georgia Department of Health, he is the youngest reported victim in his home state.
WTOC11 reports that news of his passing was released during DPH’s daily coronavirus update on Thursday. The 7-year-old Savannah area resident is said to have had no underlying conditions. A Chatham County Coroner report revealed that the child had a seizure while in the shower and became unresponsive. He was taken to the emergency room where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His death occurred roughly two weeks ago.
Information obtained by WTOC11 reveals that while in the ER, a rapid test performed on the young child showed evidence of COVID-19 positivity. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations lab performed an autopsy but results are still pending. Right now the cause of death is listed as “acute seizure secondary to COVID.” The definitive cause of death is still unknown.
Much like the rest of the country, Georgia’s coronavirus numbers are still in flux. Thursday saw an additional 3,250 new confirmed cases of the potentially fatal virus. The concerning numbers come at a time where municipalities are deciding whether or not to open their doors for in-person learning this fall. Earlier this week more Georgia school districts pushed back reopening dates out of concern for the health of their staff, students, and families. The action was taken after it was reported that 260 employees of the Gwinnett County Public Schools either tested positive for COVID-19 or are quarantining due to possible exposure from a case of the virus.
Experts have regularly stated that enough is not known about the virus to make a determination on how COVID-19 shows up in children, that is why it is important for all individuals to take precaution. “We know that older individuals and those with underlying conditions are at higher risk of complications, but this is a disease everyone should take seriously,” Georgia Coastal Health District Director Dr. Lawton Davis said in a statement following news of the 7-year-olds death. “Please watch out for each other, wear a mask in public, wash your hands often, and stay home if you’re sick. A community-wide crisis demands a community-wide response, and we all must do our part to keep each other safe.”