Nearly 40% of those hospitalized with coronavirus are younger than 54: CDC

There are at least 141 coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S.

ByWilliam Mansell and Anne Flaherty
March 19, 2020, 9:41 AM

As many spring breakers are still seen ignoring social distancing on the beaches of Florida, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is saying more younger people than initially thought are getting seriously ill due to the novel coronavirus.

Data released Wednesday night by the CDC shows that of the 508 patients known to have been hospitalized in the U.S. for COVID-19, about 20% of those were ages 20 to 44 and another 18% were between the ages of 45 and 54.

However, COVID-19 is still significantly more dangerous in older patients, as 80% of deaths associated with coronavirus are adults over the age of 65.

FILE PHOTO: People crowd the beach, while other jurisdictions had already closed theirs in efforts to combat the spread of novel co
FILE PHOTO: People crowd the beach, while other jurisdictions had already closed theirs in efforts to combat the spread of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Clearwater, Florida, U.S. March 17, 2020.
Steve Nesius/Reuters

Less than 1% of coronavirus deaths were among patients aged 20-54, and zero patients under the age of 19 have died from the virus, the CDC report said.

These numbers don't provide the full context of underlying medical conditions in these patients.

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PHOTO: CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 18: People gather on Clearwater Beach during spring break despite world health officials' warnings to avoid large groups on March 18, 2020 in Clearwater, Florida.
CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 18: People gather on Clearwater Beach during spring break despite world health officials' warnings to avoid large groups on March 18, 2020 in Clearwater, Florida. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11.
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11. Globally, there are at least diagnosed 222,000 cases, and at least 9,100 reported deaths.

In the U.S., there are at least 9,412 diagnosed cases in all 50 states with at least 141 coronavirus-related deaths reported.

PHOTO: University students walk along a street of Miami Beach during Spring Break after local authorities closed restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters and other similar businessesdue to coronavirus disease in Miami Beach, Florida, U.S., March 18, 2020.
University students walk along a street of Miami Beach during Spring Break after local authorities closed restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters and other similar businesses and rolled out a midnight curfew along South Beach's busiest strips for precaution due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread, in Miami Beach, Florida, U.S., March 18, 2020.
Carlos Barria/Reuters

During a briefing Wednesday, the Trump administration implored millennials and young people to take social distancing seriously to help stop the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said she was concerned about reports out of Italy and France that more young people than expected were in ICUs with complications from COVID-19.

"We have not seen any significant mortality in the children, but we are concerned about the early reports coming out of Italy and France," Birx said during a briefing Wednesday. "Even if it's a rare occurrence, it may be seen more frequently in that group, and be evident now."

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