The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday that young people now cause the spread of the coronavirus, particularly those in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
These people do not know they are infected with the virus. Most of them either never developed symptoms or manifested mild symptoms, according to Dr. Takeshi Kasai, WHO’s regional director for the Western Pacific.
“This increases the risk of spillovers to the most vulnerable: the elderly, the sick, people in long-term care, people who live in densely-populated urban areas and under-served rural areas,” he said.
Moreover, Kasai pointed out that global leaders and the public must “redouble efforts” to curb the spread of the virus into vulnerable communities. “We are encouraged to see many countries in the region already adopting new tactics that help minimize the social and economic consequences of Covid-19 and show how we can cope with it for the foreseeable future,” he stressed.
Scientists are still studying why Covid-19 becomes a severe illness in some people but not others, like some young people.
A societal responsibility
Data compiled by Johns Hopkins University showed that the coronavirus has infected about 22 million people across the world and killed at least 774,600 as of Tuesday. WHO’s latest analysis that was published this month showed that the share of people between ages 15 and 24 rose to 15% from 4.5%.
State health officials in the US say that more younger people are not observing social distancing measures and getting infected with the virus at a higher rate. Vice President Mike Pence reported in June that about half of the new cases in the US at the time were individuals under the age of 35, particularly in Texas and Florida.
White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said that doctors are seeing “more and more” complications among younger people. He called on younger ones to take the coronavirus seriously, saying doing otherwise could spread the pandemic.
“You have to have responsibility for yourself but also a societal responsibility that you’re getting infected is not just you in a vacuum. You’re propagating the pandemic,” Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an interview on July 16.
Wide range of symptoms
Dr. Fauci stressed that he has never seen a single virus with such a diverse range of symptoms.
Some people show no symptoms while “some get mild symptoms and some get symptoms enough to put them at home for a few days. Some are in bed for weeks and have symptoms even after they recover, others go to the hospital, some require oxygen, some require intensive care, some get intubated and some die,” he said on June 23.
The WHO asks people to always wear masks as a way to contain the virus. The agency also encourages people to wash their hands regularly, keep their distance from others, and avoid going to crowded places. People who have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing must call by telephone in advance if possible and obey the instructions of the local health authority, the WHO said.
