In Florida, coronavirus-related deaths in children more than doubled in the past six weeks, data shows.

“Early on in the pandemic, it’s almost as if the virus ignored kids. It just made the older people sick,” said Dr. Kenneth Alexander with Nemours Children’s Hospital.

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But Monday, Orange County health officials said the age range for coronavirus patients was 0 to 95 years old.

Alexander said the state’s pediatric coronavirus deaths have risen at a rapid rate.

READ: Local doctor says majority of new COVID-19 cases are in children

From the start of the pandemic through July 7, children under 16 had died from the virus in Florida — seven in 15 months. In just six weeks, the pediatric death toll rose to 17.

“Many of the kids do have comorbidities, obesity being prominent among them,” Alexander said. “We are seeing kids who are otherwise healthy, and this is like a bolt out of the blue.”

Early research shows children can get “long COVID” — persistent symptoms after infection — because they are experiencing some things for the long haul, such as shortness of breath, headaches and fatigue.

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Early research shows children can get “long COVID,” but it’s not as common as it is in adults.

Alexander said the hospital typically has 10 children with the virus at Nemours at any given time, with about half of them ending up in the ICU.

Video: Mom says schools aren’t doing enough to protect children ineligible for COVID-19 vaccine A Seminole County mom said the school district didn’t do enough to keep her son safe after her middle school student tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. (Lauren Seabrook, WFTV.com)

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