Hawaii Reports First Child Death From COVID-19
The child was with a family visiting from out of state, health officials said.
A boy under the age of 11 with underlying medical conditions has died of the coronavirus in Hawaii.
His death is the 479th death attributable to COVID-19 in the state since the pandemic started. But it is the state’s first pediatric coronavirus death.
According to a press release from the Hawaii Department of Health, the child had been visiting Hawaii with his parents from another state. His parents were both fully vaccinated prior to their visit.
COVID-19 vaccinations are not yet authorized for children under the age of 16.
The says that most children who get COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms and that deaths are rare. Children with certain underlying conditions including but not limited to asthma and obesity are more likely to get severely sick if they catch the coronavirus.
“(The child) experienced COVID-19 symptoms shortly after arriving in the islands and was taken to a hospital where he died,” the Hawaii Health Department press release said.
The state didn’t specify what type of underlying health conditions he had or his exact age.
