5 States Where Working-Age COVID-19 Hospitalizations Are Surging

Start Slideshow

The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations for U.S. residents ages 18 through 59 has increased 28.7% in the past week, to 11,969, according to a comparison of federal government Community Profile Report tables posted Tuesday with tables posted a week earlier.

The working-age resident hospitalization rate increased 21.2% in the typical state.

For a look at the five states with the biggest percentage increases in the number of pandemic-related hospitalizations of people in the 18-to-59 age group, see the gallery above.

For data on all 50 states and the District of Columbia, see the table below.

What It Means

Similar tables showed the U.S. working-age hospitalization count increasing 12% between the week ending June 21 and the week ending June 28.

The new, higher increase could be the result of statistical fluctuations related to the Independence Day holiday, but it could also indicate a real increase in the number of working-age people going to the hospital with serious cases of COVID-19.

A new surge in COVID-19 could lead to unexpected medical expenses for clients and unwanted time without wages for others. It could also throw off mortality and longevity projections for retirement planning clients.

The Context

The latest counts of hospitalizations by age group are from the week ending July 10.

For all U.S. residents, the hospitalization count increased 28.3% between the week ending July 3 and the week ending July 10 increased 28.3%, to 39,413.

For people ages 18 through 59, the week-over-week change in the count ranged from a decrease of 21.2%, in New Mexico, up to an increase of 267% in one state in the upper Midwest.

A 267% increase means that the hardest-hit state had more than three times as many patients entering the hospital with confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the week ending Sunday as it had during the previous week.

New Hospital Admissions for COVID-19 Patients Ages 18-59

(Image: iStock)

Start Slideshow