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A federal government breakdown of COVID-19 cases across Canada shows that middle-aged people are catching the disease in the highest numbers.

Children and teens are by far the least likely to catch it — or at least they are testing positive in the lowest numbers, which could also mean that fewer in this age group are being tested.

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The statistics, announced by Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, break down like this:

Ages:

Canadians under 20 represent four per cent of all cases.

Ages 20 to 29, 12 per cent.

Ages 30 to 39, 17 per cent.

Ages 40 to 49, 17 per cent.

Ages 50 to 59, 20 per cent.

Ages 60 to 69, 16 per cent.

Ages 70 to 79, nine per cent.

Ages 80 and up, five per cent.

Gender:

Of those who test positive, 51 per cent are male. Most of the rest are female but a small fraction are not identified as male or female.

Most common symptoms:

“Commonly reported symptoms among reported cases include cough (79 per cent), chills (55 per cent), and headaches (56 per cent).

“Based on case reports received to date, 278 cases have been hospitalized, including 84 in intensive care.”

Source of infection:

More than a third (37 per cent) of patients contacted the disease while travelling, or being in close contact with a sick traveller who returned to Canada. The other 63 per cent picked it up in the community.

Ontario’s figures are very similar to the national figures. For instance, 50.2 per cent of Ontarians with the virus are male, and 36 per cent were infected either while travelling (26.3 per cent) or from close contact with a returning traveller (9.6 per cent).

The median age for Ontario patients being treated for COVID-19 is 50, meaning that half are older than that and half are younger. The national figures do not give a median, but with patients clustered in their 30s to 60s, 50 is about midway.

In Ontario, 2.5 per cent of patients are aged 19 or under; 77 per cent are aged 20 to 64; and 20.1 per cent are 65 or older. There is no breakdown within the 20-to-64 group.

Tam said the statistics show “a note of cautious optimism from British Columbia, where community spread first started in Canada. After weeks of public health measures and physical distancing the COVID-19 growth rate appears to be slowing,” she wrote on Twitter.