The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona has now surpassed 100,000 and younger people, not the elderly, have comprised more than half of them, state health officials said Monday.
The Department of Health Services said in a statement that more than 62,000 of the 101,441 reported cases involve people younger than 44.
DHS Director Dr. Cara Christ said it’s those between ages 20 and 44 who can drive community spread of COVID-19. And they’re the groups who went out to Arizona’s bars and nightclubs en masse after Gov. Doug Ducey ended his stay-home orders in mid-May. The governor closed nightclubs and gyms again last week in an effort to slow the surge of virus cases, which have nearly doubled in the past two weeks.
Those younger people often show no or only minor symptoms, and can unknowingly spread the disease. More concerning, Christ said, they can bring it home to their older parents or grandparents, who are at much higher risk of serious or fatal complications.
“It’s a huge fear,” Christ said.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
