There has been a sharp increase in reported cases of the omicron variant of the novel coronavirus in children in Japan and abroad. Although the symptoms are said to be less severe, experts warn that omicron should not be taken lightly.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the number of children up to ages 14 to 20 -- the definition of children varies across states -- infected in the United States increased 69% to about 980,000 in the seven-day period between Jan. 7 and Jan. 13 from the previous week.
