<Anchor> The
number of new coronavirus cases in the United States surpassed 200,000 again for the first time in 11 months. The highly contagious omicron mutation is a result of the rapid spread of the winter season, and in particular, the number of infected people under the age of 18 is rapidly increasing.
The first news, reporter Kim A-young reports.
<Reporter> The
average number of new COVID-19 cases per day in the United States recorded 201,330.
As a result of counting the number of confirmed cases for a week as of the 25th of Christmas, it is the first time in 11 months since January that the number of new confirmed cases exceeded 200,000.
In the past 14 days alone, an average of 118,000 people per day was recorded, which nearly doubled in just 10 days.
In New York over the past two weeks, the number of new cases has increased by more than 80%, and in Washington, it is understood that the number of infections has tripled compared to the beginning of this month.
A large number of airline employees were infected, leading to group cancellations at the end of the year.
[Kerin Miles/Traveler: My father is sick, so he is literally just going on a trip. I wanted to make sure I could see my father during Christmas.] The
rapidly growing number of underage infections is also a problem.
In New York, the number of children hospitalized has quadrupled since the last five days, and about half of them are under the age of five who cannot be vaccinated.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is concerned that the number of people under the age of 18 infected with COVID-19 is 'extremely high'.
Given the rapid spread of Omicron mutations, it is expected that it will only be a matter of time before the number of new confirmed cases exceeds the previous record of 251,232.
Omicron mutation in the United States was at 0.7% on the 4th of this month, but it has surged to 70% as of the 18th, and it accounts for more than 90% in some regions.