Coronavirus cases spike in younger people

More infections are being seen in teens and young adults as reopenings happen throughout the state.

Coronavirus cases in younger people are fueling the state's spike in infections action news now reporter christina vitale shows us what numbers look like in our region.

### me; butte county public health tells me just over 10 percent of their cases fall under the age of 17 both butte and shasta county health departments report more than half their cases are in people 49 and younger.

14 in butte and 6 in shasta are under 17.

Dr. shannon: young people tend to feel invulnerable and they think they're not going to get the disease and if they get it they its not oging to be as severe.

Head of infection control at oroville hospital doctor roy shannon says young people are more likely to be out at the bars and hanging out with friends.

Shannon: you see lots of people there without masks on their within a foot or two of each other and thats a good way to spread the disease the l-a times reported as of wednesday, 56% of people with coronavirus are 18 to 49.

Officials say tha* figure has risen consistently throughout the outbreak but surged sharply in recent weeks.

People older than 65 dropped from 25 percent of cases to less than 15% of cases.

Shannon: early on testing was so limited that we were only testing the people that were at hght risk and of course the younger people did not fit into the high risk category dr. shannon told action news now as more reopenings happen in the state-- he sees the number of cases in young people getting worse before it gets better.

Me: i spoke with a teen and a parent about these statistics and ill have their reaction coming up at 5 in chico christina vitale action news now coverage you can count on.

Coronavirus testing is still active and free -- for more information on where to get tested visit our website... action news now dot- com.

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