Doctors says even Young and Healthy dies for Covid19
For the past two days, the tamilnadu health Department’s COVID-19 bulletin has created a separate list of deaths of patients who have had no comorbidities. On june 7, six individuals who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease COVID-19 passed away despite having no underlying health factors. A day later, tamilnadu reported three more deaths of patients who had no co-morbid factors. These were individuals who were reportedly healthy, with some having age on their side.
TNM analysed data from May 4, when the TN health bulletin first began publishing detailed case-wise reports, until june 8. Out of 252 deaths that were recorded during this period, at least 47 COVID-19 patients or over 18.65% died despite having no medical condition. An age-wise breakup sheds more light on the numbers. There were six patients or 2.38% between the age of 30-39 who succumbed to COVID-19 without having any co-morbidities. The fatalities increase with each decade. Eight persons or 3.17% who were aged between 40 and 49 died due to COVID-19. None of them had any reported medical conditions at the time of admission. There were 12 deaths in the age bracket of 50-59, with eight being men and four women. In all, 10.31% below the age of 60 died despite being healthy. At least 21 senior citizens (60+) who did not report any co-morbid factors also died of the disease.
Dr Narayana Babu, the director of Medical education (DME) and the Dean of Omandurar government Multi Superspeciality Hospital in chennai asserted that a majority of deaths in tamil Nadu were of patients with co-morbidities. “More than 90-95% are persons who have comorbidities. Only 5% of such deaths are of those who don’t have any co-morbid factors,” says Dr Narayana. Dr v Ramasubramanian, Infectious Disease Specialist, Apollo Hospitals in chennai, points out that COVID-19 is like any other infectious disease and can be fatal to even those who are fit and healthy. Like Dr Narayana, however, Dr Ramasubramanian also notes that young and healthy dying is a small percentage. Data from the tamil Nadu health Department shows that out of the six individuals in the age bracket of 30-39 who died of COVID-19, five died within three days of hospitalisation.