ROME – One in five people who test positive for coronavirus are between 19 and 50 years old, according to analysis conducted by the Italian Higher Institute of Health (ISS). A sample size of over 8000 cases has revealed that although the medium age is 65 and more than half of the deceased are over 80, people under the age of 50 account for almost a quarter of cornavirus cases.

  On Monday, the death toll increased by almost 100, and cases of infection in Italy rose to 7985. With over 45 per cent of patients showing either no symptoms or mild symptoms, and with symptoms sometimes not revealing themselves for days after infection, young people must adhere to the social distancing rules, advises the ISS.

  "In these days we are in the news reporting on many examples of violations of the recommendations, especially by young people,” underlined the President of the ISS, Silvio Brusaferro.

  Although less likely to enter intensive care, young patients are still causing resource dilemmas for Italian medical authorities, with a lack of beds available for patients who do not need respirators but do need hospitalisation.

  Pre-triage stages are already in place, with tents outside the emergency room dividing patients into those who need more serious treatment, who are then further sub-divided into five categories, all the way from a fever to severe respiratory failure, report Il Sole 24 Ore.

jmj