A record number of children in the US are hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The US averaged 672 new hospital admissions per day for the 0-17 age group in the week of December 27 and January 2, shattering the previous record of around 340 admissions per day during a period in early September 2021.

Children, however, are the least likely age bracket to get hospitalized by the virus, according to the data.  

The 0-17 age group has seen a rate of less than one new admission per 100,000 people throughout the pandemic, whereas other age brackets — like adults and elderly people — have higher rates of hospitalization.  

Seniors over the age of 70 are being hospitalized at the highest rate: 13.8 per 100,000 people, according to CDC data.

Hospitalizations are also an imperfect measure of how the virus is affecting children.

Many admitted to the hospital just happen to have COVID-19 and are actually there for other reasons.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said last week that, since all hospital admissions are tested for COVID-19, many are "hospitalized with COVID, as opposed to because of COVID."

The real reason for hospitalization might be "a broken leg, or appendicitis, or something like that," he said in an interview with MSNBC.