Age Of Framingham Residents With Coronavirus Moves Younger

FRAMINGHAM, MA — For the first time since June 6, the median age of Framingham residents testing positive for coronavirus has moved younger.

As of Tuesday, the statewide median age of people who have tested positive was 50, down from age 52 at the beginning of June. In Framingham, the median age was 47, according to the city's weekly coronavirus data report released Monday. The median age of positive tests in Framingham had been steady at age 48 since June 6, and was in the 50s before that.

Framingham also tracks data on median age on a rolling weekly basis. The weekly median dropped to a pandemic low of 29 the week of July 15 to 25. The weekly median hit a high of near 60 in late April, and as of Aug. 10 had risen again to age 39.

People under age 20 were the biggest group getting coronavirus tests at the new Keefe Tech testing site between Aug. 5 and 7. However, they had the lowest level of positive tests of any age group at about 0.5 percent. People age 41 to 50 had the highest share of positive tests at 3.4 percent.

In other communities, health officials have expressed concern about younger people contracting and spreading the virus.

In late July, a cluster of cases was linked to a house party in Chatham. The party goers were younger people who worked at local bars and restaurants, according to officials. During a press conference about a rise in cases last week, Worcester officials highlighted an upward trend in young people contracting the virus — a particular concern as college students begin to return to campuses this fall.

This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association released a report revealing a 40 percent rise in pediatric coronavirus cases across the U.S. The rate of pediatric cases in Massachusetts was 474 per 100,000, according to the report, which is about average compared to other states.

The state and Framingham has seen a slight rise in cases in recent weeks. On Tuesday, the state revealed a map of communities where cases are rising most, and Framingham was one of more than two dozen with a "moderate" rise in overall cases. Over the weekend, Framingham added 24 new cases, bringing the active case total 121.