SAVANNAH, Ga. — A 7-year-old boy with COVID-19 has become the youngest known person to die in Georgia since the coronavirus pandemic began, state health officials reported.
The boy had no other chronic health conditions, according to data released by the state. The case is from Chatham County, which includes Savannah, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported. The child is Black, but state data lists no other details about him or the death.
The boy’s death comes amid nationwide debate about the risks that children face in getting infected or spreading the coronavirus, particularly as the school year begins. There is no indication in the health department’s reports about where or when the child contracted the virus.
Before the boy's death, Georgia's youngest death was that of a 17-year-old African-American in Fulton County who had undisclosed health issues in addition to COVID-19. More than 30 people in their 20s also have died, state data shows.
Georgia recently passed 4,000 deaths from the coronavirus and has reported more than 200,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
