SoCal doctor explains why younger population seeing rise in coronavirus cases

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Recent data indicate a rise in the percentage of younger people who are testing positive for coronavirus.

Dr. Anthony Cardillo, an ER specialist and CEO of Mend Urgent Care, joined ABC7 to discuss this issue and several other topics.

He said recent figures are showing a big spike in people under age 35 who are testing positive for coronavirus and lower numbers for those over 50. The likely reason, he said, is that as society reopens businesses and activities, younger people tend to be out in public more, engaging in group activities. And studies have shown younger people, particularly young men, are averse to wearing masks in public.

Also, there is new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggesting Latinos are shouldering a disproportionate share of COVID-19 cases. Hospitalizations still remain highest among African Americans.

"The consensus is that the Latino population, particularly locally, really makes up a big part of our essential workforce, whether it's in healthcare, in food service, in construction," Cardillo said. "Those are all the areas of our society that were allowed to continue working and is predominantly made up of the Latino community. Really working hard and putting themselves at the greater risk. And so I think that's why we're seeing that level of uptick in the Latino community."

Another topic he discusses was recent studies showing that people with blood type O may be less susceptible to the coronavirus. To hear his discussion of the issue, watch the full interview in the video above.