NY: Uptick in College-age Illness Tempers Outlook 

Fevers among 18- to 25-year-olds in New York have spread steadily in the past week, in contrast to decreasing overall state and national trends. 

Fever levels measured by Kinsa’s network of web-connected thermometers are an indicator of spreading febrile illness, including the coronavirus. Overall, Kinsa’s illness metrics and confirmed COVID-19 cases have been decreasing in New York since mid-January. Among adults aged 18-25, that decrease was more pronounced until Jan. 28, when the levels began increasing steadily. 

Previous fever outbreaks among New York’s young adults were a harbinger of case spikes in the state’s general population after Halloween and Thanksgiving. The magnitude of the current increase among young adults is similar in size to the increases after those holidays – a disconcerting sign despite the generally positive outlook across the state.