New Jersey’s young people – ages 18 to 29 – are increasingly making up a larger chunk of new COVID-19 cases, even as the pandemic slows down, according to the state’s top health officials.

On Monday, State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli warned that the “uptick in cases” among younger residents stemmed from graduation parties and July Fourth.

She said more than 730 New Jerseyans between 18 and 29 were hospitalized from the virus, while another 53 had died. Of the more than 175,000 who’ve tested positive for the virus, 24,000 of them were in this age group.

“I want to especially emphasize to our young people that they are not invincible or immune to COVID-19,” the health commissioner said at the governor’s Monday afternoon COVID-19 press briefing. “People of any age can get a severe illness.”

In April, the group made up 12 percent of all new COVID-19 cases in the state. That crept up to 22 percent in June.

Persichilli’s warnings come amid reports of densely packed beaches and boardwalks.

During the weekend, overcrowding at the Long Branch Beach prompted police to briefly block access to the shore. Crowded outdoor bars and restaurants in shore towns, meanwhile, worried state and local officials.

The mayor of Westfield said last week that new cases in Union County were stemming from graduation and July Fourth parties, Persichilli said.

Still, Murphy declined to pin the blame on beach gatherings for the slow increase of the COVID-19 spread in the state.

“I still don’t think we have any evidence … that either beaches or protest activity has led to an increase in cases,” Murphy said on Monday “We do believe that indoor graduation parties or folks coming in from out of state have.”

Currently, individuals who travel from any of the 19 states where there are COVID-19 “hotspots” are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days to reduce their chance of spreading the virus. Those states represent nearly 165 million, or just over half the population of the United States.