97,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks of July, report says

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A new report says 97,000 children have contracted novel coronavirus in the last two weeks on July across the United States.

American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association wrote in a report that the cases mark a 40% increase in virus cases among children in the states and cities where the study was conducted.

It's important to note states differed in age range for "children." Some states only went to age 14 while others, went to 24. In Tennessee, "children" were identified as those up to 20 years old. Out of the 1.76 million children the Volunteer State reports, there have been 16,436 virus cases, marking 16% of total children cases. Tennessee and Arizona were among the states with the highest child cases per 100,000, with Tennessee coming in at 932.5 per 100,000 cases and Arizona slightly higher with 1,098.1.

This comes as schools begin to reopen across the nation. There are already several Middle Tennessee schools dealing with COVID-19 cases. There's even a petition to start in-person classes Metro Nashville Public Schools - something that 30,000 doctors, pharmacists and teachers are warning against.

At least 86 children have died since May.

COVID-19 in Middle Tennessee Schools:

Putnam Countyhas 80 students at home due to either a positive test or being in close contact with someone who is infected. Many of the exposures happened outside the school setting.

One student at Cookeville High School tested positive. Seven teachers and staff are at home due to either a positive test or close contact to someone with a positive test. One bus driver is also at home.

Lincoln Countyhas one employee and one student that have tested positive at Flintville School, and one employee and one student test positive at South Lincoln School.

The school district said contact tracing has been completed by the administration at Flintville School and have notified all who may have been exposed. An investigation is continuing. Both schools have been sanitized, the district said.

In Coffee County, the school district says the cases are going up, but there isn’t a specified number. The school district is moving to a hybrid schedule on Wednesday.

In Maury County, Whitthorne Middle School is closed Monday, Aug. 10 "out of an abundance of caution due to staffing related to Covid-19 precautions."