KEY POINTS

  • Florida has seen an uptick in new COVID-19 cases among the 25 to 34 years old
  • Young people have been going to public places while foregoing face masks
  • Florida mayors are enforcing safety orders “rigorously” by making face masks mandatory or shutting down businesses

New COVID-19 cases in Florida are emerging among the younger population, prompting Gov. Ron DeSantis to confirm in a press conference Tuesday (June 23) that the median age for positive coronavirus cases dropped from 65 to 35 years old.

Some 20% of the new cases from the latest numbers released by Florida's Department of Health on Thursday (June 25) are patients between 25 to 34 years old, with two 18-year-old patients dying from the disease that day. Last week, at least 8,000 new cases emerged from the younger age group while there were only 2,000 new cases among the 55 to 64 years old.

"What we've seen, particularly over the last week, is a real explosion in new cases amongst our younger demographics," DeSantis said. "Half of these positive tests are in that 34 and under age group, and the bulk of the tests that we are seeing are really the 25- to 34-year-olds."

Health experts attributed the rise in COVID-19 cases to the reopening of workplaces, bars, restaurants, beaches and other public places for the summer, while the young people forego face coverings.

"The virus hasn’t changed. We have changed our behaviors. Younger people are more likely to be out and taking a risk," Ali Mokdad, a health metrics sciences professor at the University of Washington in Seattle said, per Fortune.

The majority of young COVID-19 patients do not experience grave symptoms unless they have a pre-existing condition. However, they could transmit the infection to vulnerable people who could die from the virus.

aerial-view-of-the-beach-at-fort-lauderdale-florida
Florida's new COVID-19 cases are alarmingly from the younger population. Pixabay

On Monday (June 22), Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said residents will be required to wear a face mask in public places, whether they are indoors or outdoors. Fines will be imposed on residents who refuse to follow this rule as Florida mayors vow to enforce the safety orders “rigorously.”

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber also called on businesses that have reopened to become part of the solution by asking their guests to follow the safety guidelines. The mayors have reportedly discussed rolling back reopening or shutting down establishments again if the healthcare system becomes overwhelmed.

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