Study shows 84 per cent COVID-19 deaths in Italy among senior citizens

Picture/AP-PTI

As per the report prepared by Italy's COVID-19 Surveillance Group and published on March 30, the average age of deaths of 84per cent of corona positive patients is above 70 years. The report also shows the number of cases of deaths who are positive has surged upto 10,026. Dr Indrajit Khandekar, professor of Forensic Medicine at MGIMS- Sewagram said that the average age of patients dying for COVID-19 infection was 78. Women dying for COVID-2019 infection had an older age than men i.e., average age is 82. 84 per cent of the deceased are over 70 years old and 10 per cent of the deceased are over 90 years old.

Overall, 51.7 per cent of the deceased presented was already suffering from three or more chronic diseases, 24.5per cent with 2 chronic diseases, 21.6 per cent with single chronic disease and 2.1 per cent without any other disease. Chronic diseases include in particular cardiovascular problems, diabetes, respiratory problems, and cancer. Experts say, in such cases whether the actual cause of death was the coronavirus or already existing diseases is not yet known, says Khandekar.

Northern Italy has the worst air quality in Europe. In Italy, the elderly population is very high. 22 per cent of the population is 65 years and older and more than 10 per cent of the total population is over the age of 75 years, which is more prone to this type of disease. Khandekar says that it is increasing the number of respiratory diseases and deaths there, and therefore there is an additional risk of the current epidemic.

As per a study published in 2019 by the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 7,027, 20,259, 15,801 and 24,981 persons of Italy died in the winter season of 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 respectively due to flu/ influenza. This means only in winter season of five years, 68068 patients died i.e., on an average 17017 patients died in each winter season of Italy. It's very unfortunate that the death toll is increasing yearly in every winter season of Italy.

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