Coronavirus cases in US children near 1.2 million after increasing by nearly ONE THIRD over the last two weeks, report warns - but only 137 have died

 Coronavirus infections among American children are continuing to spike across the country, a report finds.

As of November 19, almost 1.2 million youngsters have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revealed on Monday.

This means children now make up 11.8 percent of all cases in the US.

What's more, over the last two weeks, there was a nearly one-third increase in new pediatric cases with more than 256,000 reported - the largest jump recorded since the pandemic began.

Since the start of the pandemic, 137 children have died, meaning the fatality rate is still around 0.01 percent. 

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As of November 19, nearly 1.2 million children have tested positive for coronaviruis, making up 11.8% of all cases in the US. Pictured: A healthcare worker ) takes a swab sample from a child to be tested for COVID-19, November 20

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Over the last two weeks, 256,091 new child COVID-19 cases were reported, which is a 28% jump from the previous two weeks (above)

According to the report, the overall rate of pediatric coronavirus cases is 1,573 infections per 100,000 children in the population.

Between November 5 and November 19, 256,091 new child COVID-19 cases were reported. 

The jump from 927,518 to 1,183,609 means there has been a 28 percent increase over the last two weeks.  

Currently, there are 13 states that report 15 percent or more of their cumulative cases are among children: Alaska, Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming 

Wyoming has the most with nearly 25 percent of all the state's cases among its youngest residents.

Meanwhile, just New York City has reported fewer than five percent of their cases are among kids.

Additionally, over the last two weeks, 20 states have seen a 25 percent increase in child cases: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming.

Since the pandemic began, children have made up for between five percent and 17.7 percent of total state tests.

As of November 19, between 0.2 percent and 5.6 percent of all child COVID-19 cases resulted in hospitalization.

Children accounted for up 0.23 percent of all coronavirus deaths in a state, and 17 states reported zero child deaths.

'At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is rare among children,' the AAP said in a statement.    

'However, there is an urgent need to collect more data on longer-term impacts of the pandemic on children, including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children, as well as its emotional and mental health effects.'

It comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urge Americans to stay home for Thanksgiving. 

Officials advise against gathering with anyone who has not lived in the same household for at least 14 days, the incubation period for the virus.

For anyone who is visiting a home where they don't live full-time, the CDC suggests outdoor gatherings if possible with guests placed six feet apart and wearing masks.  

'From an individual household level, what's at stake is basically increased chance of one of your loved ones becoming sick and then hospitalized and dying,' Henry Walke, incident manager for the CDC's COVID-19 response, said during a briefing on Thursday. 

'We certainly don't want to see that happen. These times are tough. It's been a long outbreak.'