Median age of COVID-19 cases declined in May to August in U.S.

(HealthDay)—From May to August 2020, there was a decrease in the median age of COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to research published in the Sept. 23 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Tegan K. Boehmer, Ph.D., from the CDC COVID-19 Response Team, and colleagues examined the changing age distribution of the COVID-19 pandemic during May to August by assessing COVID-19-like illness-related emergency department visits, positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results, and confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The researchers found that from May to July and August, the median age of COVID-19 cases declined from 46 to 37 and 38 years, respectively, nationwide. In all U.S. Census regions, similar patterns were seen for COVID-19-like illness-related emergency department visits and positive RT-PCR test results. During June to August, COVID-19 incidence was highest among adults aged 20 to 29 years, who accounted for >20 percent of all confirmed cases. In regional outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Southern United States in June, increases in the percentage of positive SARS-CoV-2 test results among adults aged 20 to 39 years preceded increases among adults aged ≥60 years by an average of 8.7 days.

Source: Read Full Article