effect that then clogs up our e.r.s, clogs up everything else. >> reporter: with more than 121,000 new child covid cases reported in the u.s. last week, texas and florida lead the nation in new pediatric cases. while in mississippi, a 13-year-old died just one day after testing positive for covid. >> the child went to the hospital but they sent her home the same evening knowing she was sick. they should have sent her to a hospital to get her some help. >> reporter: but the debate over masking in schools rages on. schools in broward county florida instituting mask mandates as students return to class today. in defiance of governor ron desantis. the state board of education voting to punish counties like broward and olachua for violating the governor's ban on such mandates. in hillsborough county, florida, where parents can opt out of the mask requirement, almost 10,000 students are quarantined due to covid cases. one school district outside