More young people contracting coronavirus in Erie County

NYS COVID-19 testing site in Buffalo's Cobblestone District. May 19, 2020 (WBEN Photo/Mike Baggerman)
Photo credit NYS COVID-19 testing site in Buffalo's Cobblestone District. May 19, 2020 (WBEN Photo/Mike Baggerman)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Erie County officials are cautious over an increase in younger people who have contracted coronavirus over the last three weeks.

Each of the age groups defined by Erie County under the age of 50 have all seen a slight increase in confirmed coronavirus cases while fewer people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and older have seen a decrease in the number of positive cases.

Poloncarz is worried about an increase in younger people who have been diagnosed with coronavirus. It includes children, teenagers, and younger adults. Here’s two charts with a total breakdown and a three-week trend. pic.twitter.com/9JT1fTAytM

— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman) June 24, 2020

What’s to blame? Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz believes that younger people are catching it from their parents.

As of Tuesday, New York State is reporting 47 total hospitalizations in the Western economic region that includes Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany Counties. Erie County accounts for most of those cases, with 41 reported as of Monday.

The latest hospitalization data is the first increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in about a month. At its worst, the region had 263 hospitalizations on April 28.

Erie County has had 6,967 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 634 deaths. Niagara County has 1,218 confirmed cases of the disease with 88 deaths. Cattaraugus, Allegany, and Chautauqua Counties all pale in comparison to the data for the other two counties in their region.

Western New York is still on track to begin phase four next Tuesday, though Poloncarz said the governor could decide not to have the region begin if there is a spike in cases.