Washington continues to have spike in virus cases among younger age groups

SEATTLE - COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Washington State. The Department of Health says in much of the Puget Sound the virus is spreading most rapidly among people in their twenties. 

Officials say it likely has to do with young people having harder time staying home, especially with the temptation of bars and restaurants reopened. 

One COVID patient said she hopes people in her age range will listen and learn from her experience.

“I can’t smell or taste, not even a little bit, I can’t smell or taste anything,” says 29-year-old Jaymi Singh.

Singh is starting to have more energy now after being diagnosed with COVID-19 on June 29th.

“I was so weak I wasn’t getting out of bed at all," she said.

With a fever of over 104 persisting for five days, Singh ended up in the ER.  

“I think it was worse than what I expected, you know I guess maybe I expected myself to be asymptomatic, or because I'm young it wasn't going to be as bad.”

Singh had been quarantining and really only leaving her apartment to go on a walk or to the grocery store. But when things started to reopen, she said she felt safe having a night out.

“As soon as I went to a bar, literally a couple days later I got sick…I felt comfortable going to the bar because the new phase tells you that they’re open," she said. 

Singh didn’t want to name the Ballard bar, but said they did the right thing and shut down after a couple employees tested positive for it around the same time she was there.

Overall, she said a big lesson learned is just because places are opening up doesn’t mean it is isn’t risky to go, and her age doesn’t protect her.

“Our age group feels more relaxed because of things that they’ve heard, like we're going to be okay if we get it, but I mean I got it and it wasn't fun…I don't think it was worth it at all.”