Most Coronavirus Patients Under 60

WAAY 31's Breken Terry was live after learning about the uptick in the younger age category.

About the uptick in this age category, breken?

Hospital officials told me there are 9 patients here because of the coronavirus.

Most of them are younger than 60 which is a big change compared to when coronavirus first hit north alabama.

Buchanan- we are still concerned going from two patients a couple of weeks ago to 9 as of today.

Helen keller hospital president kyle buchanan said there are still beds available if more coronavirus patients need to be hospitalized.

Buchanan- we have capacity to care for more if they come in and are preparing to be able to do three times that amount if we need to.

According to the alabama department of public health 42 percent of cases are people between the ages of 25-49.

Buchanan- we're thinking were seeing a correlation to the amount of activity out in the community is that it's spreading among younger people now when initially we saw older people effected were seeing young people effected today.

Buchanan also stressed wearing a mask if you can't be at least six feet away from people around you.

He said masks are important for people who are asymptomatic or have coronavirus and don't know it.

Live in sheffield bt waay31.

Live in sheffield bt waay31.