Doctors: Pandemic has dire effects on Idaho kids, babies

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho health care professionals say the state's unchecked spread of the highly contagious delta variant is sending more kids and babies to hospitals with complications from COVID-19.

Doctors from several Boise-area hospitals and medical clinics said during a news conference Wednesday they've seen an uptick in stillbirths and premature babies born to COVID-19-positive mothers.

They've also seen an increase in children requiring hospitalization for COVID-19, as well as more kids experiencing serious mental health problems because of the pandemic.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reports coronavirus numbers are increasing faster in children than in adults, with nearly 1,700 new childhood COVID-19 cases reported last week.