Snohomish County COVID-19 cases are increasing among young people in their 20s to 40s. That’s one of the headlines from the weekly coronavirus update from county health officials Tuesday.

Chief health officer Dr. Chris Spitters told reporters that at the beginning of the outbreak in early March, 40% of the virus cases showed up in residents over 60 years old. Cases in those between 20-40 years old accounted for only 20%.

Now, says Spitters, the numbers have flipped. Older residents only account for 16% of new cases; those between 20 and 40 now total 40% of new cases.

Part of that, Spitters says, comes as younger people go back to work and because they are also ignoring mask and social distancing measures. He cites an increase in prohibited gatherings of more than five people, such as a recent party in Stanwood that hosted more than 70.

The increase in younger patients comes with a warning:

“We can only protect the elderly for so long, he says, especially “if case rates go up and expose more elderly to the disease.”  Spitters acknowledges that younger patients do not often experience severe cases, but that those in their 20s-40s “must try to keep away from older and chronically ill people.”

The two-week average of new cases is now 53 per 100,000 in the county; that’s twice the average it was in late May and early June. The one key marker that has not gone up is the number of people hospitalized with COVID. We have averaged about 17 countywide. Spitters says that has increased to about 22 people hospitalized, which he calls “not a significant change.”

The county reports no virus “hot spots,” but says Spitters — as expected — more cases show up where there are more people; along the I-5 and Highway 99 corridors and in the Marysville area.

He responded to what he called rumors that some hospitals have given multiple tests to the same people, which could drive up the total number of cases. “I want to assure you that is not the case,” adds Spitters. While some patients may be tested more than once, he said only the first positive test is considered a new case.

Asked about Gov. Jay Inslee’s new statewide “No mask, No service mandate,” Spitters warns that everyone must do anything they can to encourage and normalize face coverings. He acknowledges that wearing masks is “a culture shift,” but that “it’s really about protecting other people and caring about the whole mass of others.

The county health district is also launching a team to get every business owner to report and monitor workplace virus cases.

Ragina Gray, the district’s environmental health director, says businesses must identify a contact person and create a safety plan to notify health officials immediately when they learn of a case. There is a contact form each employer must fill out on the health district website at www.snohd.org/employernotification.

The worker’s name will be kept confidential. The health district, she says, will work with employers to ID any others at that business who may have been exposed, and to trace carpooling, shared tools, lunch or breaks with co-workers to control the spread. If more than two cases are reported, health investigators will conduct a mandatory visit at the business within 48 hours. They can also assist employers with getting workers tested.

“Workplaces are going to be the leading edge of transmission as people return to work,” Spitters says.“We don’t want to be enforcers. We want to be guiders for business,” he adds, “but we are authorized to make the right moves to protect workers.”  He says about 10 businesses countywide have reported two cases or more.

A final reminder for everyone: “We’re in this for the long haul,” Spitters warns. “It’s not over and not going to be over soon. We will deal with this for many, many months to come and maybe a year or more.”

— By Bob Throndsen