Children accounted for almost 8,500 positive PCR tests in the first week of February

During the first week of February, children accounted for 8,458 positive PCR tests (23.3% of the total) down from more than 19,000 weekly cases found in this age group in mid-January. Picture: iStock

Almost one in four Covid-19 cases found through PCR testing in the first week of February were in children under-18, new figures show.

They also accounted for just over 30% of positive antigen results in the same week, even as the overall case numbers decline.