Age counts in coronavirus — and not just for seniors. Here’s what the SC numbers show

Experts have made it clear older people are more vulnerable to the coronavirus than the young, but looking at the data for South Carolina shows how stark the difference is.

As of Friday, there were 3,065 reported cases of COVID-19 in SC, including 72 deaths, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

No age group seems any more immune to catching coronavirus than another -- people 21 to 30 years old represented 15 percent of all cases, and the 31-50 year age range was a little more than a quarter of infections.

Those 61 years and older made up exactly one-third of cases, according to DHEC data. The same group, however, accounted for 93 percent of deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say 8 out 10 people who die because of COVID-19 are at least 65, as older people are more prone to medical complications.

State health officials have reported no deaths between the ages of zero and 30.

When coronavirus peaked in Italy, many questioned why the country’s mortality rate was so far above the world average.

To experts, the answer came down to age -- with 23 percent of the population 65 and older, Italy is Europe’s oldest nation, The New York Times reported.

Still, youth is no guarantee of safety.

A growing number of young people are dying due to coronavirus, the World Health Organization recently warned, according to The Hill.

“We are seeing more and more younger individuals who are experiencing severe disease,” Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said at an online news briefing, The Hill reported.

“We’ve seen some data from a number of countries across Europe where people of younger age have died,” Van Kerkhove added. “Some of those individuals have had underlying conditions, but some have not.”