STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The coronavirus could be responsible for strokes in adults in their 30s and 40s, according to alarming media reports.

The strokes, mostly among people with no pre-existing conditions, might result from blood clots fueled by COVID-19, according to reports on CNN.com and other media outlets.

Younger patients with seemingly mild symptoms might not seek medical care for various reasons until they suddenly suffer strokes, according to the reports.

Dr. Thomas Oxley, a neurosurgeon at Mount Sinai Health System in Manhattan, described how five people all under the age of 50 either had mild or no symptoms of COVID-19 before their strokes, according to CNN.

“The virus seems to be causing increased clotting in the large arteries, leading to severe stroke,” Oxley told CNN. “Our report shows a seven-fold increase in incidence of sudden stroke in young patients during the past two weeks."