RPT - Half Of 2,535 Californians Infected With Novel Coronavirus Younger Than 50 - Governor

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2020) People under 50 years of age who have contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) make up more than half of the 2,535 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in California, Governor Gavin Newsom said.

"2,535 individuals as of this morning... have tested positive in the State of California. It's a 17 percent [daily] increase," Newsom said in televised remarks on Wednesday evening. "Tragically, 53 lives lost."

A 17-year-old boy is among those who died from complications from the COVID-19 infection.

"I can say this with accuracy - 37 young people under the age of 17 in the state of California are part of those that have been tested positive," Newsom said. "Fifty one percent as of today - over half - [are] 18 to 49 years old.

[They] have tested positive."

California figures contradict a popular belief that younger people, especially children, have negligible chances of contracting the virus.

Across the United States, the novel coronavirus cases exceed 60,000 on Wednesday with 827 dead, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Newsom said the epidemic has taken a heavy economic toll on Americans ans California - home to nearly 40 million people - had just recorded one million jobless claims.

"Just since March 13, one million Californians have now claimed the need to get unemployment insurance," he said.

Newsom hailed the massive economic stimulus package proposed and debated in the US Congress earlier on Wednesday.