Valley Children’s Hospital. File Photo.

Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera has reported an alarming rise in Covid-19 case numbers, urging the community to get vaccinated. 

In just the past month, the hospital reported an increase from 1.2% case positivity in June to 3.9% in July. The number of positive Covid-19 tests has doubled since May 2021, from 61 to 133 in July. 

Health care specialists are worried about the increase in case numbers, especially as children are expected to return to school in person this fall. 

“It doesn’t sound like a lot, but those numbers mean more children are testing positive,” said Valley Children’s Spokesperson Zara Arboleda.

The hospital reported the total number of children treated as inpatients for Covid-19, testing positive for Covid-19 and/or having Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome-Children (MIS-C) is 584. Of those, 208 children were admitted for a Covid-19 diagnosis (35.6%) and 93 children were admitted and treated for a diagnosis of MIS-C (almost all with a Covid-19 diagnosis)

MIS-C is an inflammatory condition often reported in conjunction with Covid-19 infection in children.

Because of a surge in case numbers, Fresno County public health officials are urging masking regardless of vaccination status — both indoors and outdoors.