![items.[0].image.alt](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/308b33a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+109/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fewscripps.brightspotcdn.com%2Fda%2F3a%2Fe674d4e142729095a7f1e8ba8b23%2Fap21226675361813.jpg)
MIAMI (AP) — As coronavirus infections rise among young Americans, so too have deaths in a population once thought to be largely shielded from the worst of the pandemic.
It marks a sharp contrast to the elderly and frail, many living in nursing homes, who succumbed to the virus a year ago before states made seniors a priority to get inoculated first.
It's still not clear whether the delta variant leads to more severe illness in younger people but health experts say one thing is certain: The more contagious strain is causing more cases among people age 50 and under.
Most of those who have died were unvaccinated.
