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The young and coronavirus: More positive tests in teens, children

There are fears young people are contracting and spreading the coronavirus. Experts said they are seeing more children in hospital and they are just as susceptible at contracting the virus as anyone.

These Melburnians are wearing masks and doing the right thing — but not all young people are following the rules. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling
These Melburnians are wearing masks and doing the right thing — but not all young people are following the rules. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

The number of coronavirus cases in young people — and the severity of them — is getting worse, experts have warned Victorians.

It comes as a baby in the Royal Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit contracted the virus from another child’s parent.

The baby, who contracted the virus from the asymptomatic parent, is believed to be less than three-weeks-old and was already sick.

Latest statistics show that people in their 20s cater for the most active cases in Victoria, a total of 2069.

There were 483 cases in newborns to nine-year-olds, almost identical to the 484 cases in anyone over the age of 80.

Young Victorians between the age of newborn and 19 counted for 1333 cases.

An emergency doctor from the Royal Melbourne Hospital said it was “extremely concerning for us over the last couple of weeks”.

“We have been very confronted by the number of young, very sick people that we are seeing with COVID and the increasing numbers of those,” she said on the Today show.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews took to Facebook to deliver a message to young Victorians, pleading with them to do the right thing.

“The entire pandemic might feel like miles away from you, and your community, and your friends, and your life,” he wrote.

“I know it’s hard, I know it’s frustrating, and I know you’re over this — believe me, I am too … so please — whether it’s for yourself, your mates, your mum, your nan, your state, or just to get past these restrictions. Do the right thing.”

More than 80 schools in Victoria have shut since the start of the pandemic and Monash University professor Paul Komesaroff told the Leader last week on available evidence it was safe to assume young people were just as susceptible to contracting the disease as anyone else.

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james.mottershead@news.com.au

@mottersjames

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/the-young-and-coronavirus-more-positive-tests-in-teens-children/news-story/f2e97dd388c0f0a8236ab197318b8fd0