More young people are testing positive for coronavirus in US, study finds
- Researchers looked at data from Washington state, finding half of those who had contracted the virus by early May were aged under 40
- They say findings could point to progression of the pandemic elsewhere, as it was first place in the United States with reported cases
Scientists found that half of those who had tested positive for Covid-19 in Washington state by early May were aged under 40, significantly more than at the initial stage of the outbreak.
Health authorities have been focused on elderly people and those with underlying conditions who are considered more likely to become severely ill or die from the disease.
In the study, epidemiologist Judith Malmgren and her team at the University of Washington analysed data from all 22 testing laboratories across the state. They found that young people had become more susceptible to the virus – especially in counties with a high proportion of the population aged between 20 and 39 – since early March.
The findings could point to progression of the pandemic in other areas, since “Washington state is the first in the United States with Covid-19 experience and [has] the longest outbreak timeline”, Malmgren said in a non-peer reviewed paper posted on preprint website medRxiv.org on Saturday.
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It comes as the US – the worst-hit country by far – has started reopening after a months-long lockdown, with people flocking back to beaches, restaurants and bars. The scientists warned that given the increasing prevalence of Covid-19 among young people, the reopening could put them and their families at greater risk.