In worst-hit Maha,70% of COVID-19 patients below age of 50 yrs

Mumbai, Apr 15 () An analysis of 2330 of the total2801 COVID-19 cases detected so far in worst-hit Maharashtrasuggests that the age of 70 per cent or 1646 patients rangedbetween 21 years and 50 years while 684 others are in their50s, Health officials said on Wednesday.

Underlining that people in the 50 plus age group aremost vulnerable to the viral disease, the data puts the numberof the fatalities in this age group at 77 per cent of the 171deaths (out of the total 178 up to Tuesday) or 132 in absolutenumbers.

The number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to2801 on Wednesday with 117 new patients being detected. Thedeath toll till Tuesday was 178.

Out of the 171 deaths analysed, the age of 104 among132 COVID-19 victims ranged between 51 years and 70 years,while 39 other victims aged less than 50 years, as per thedata.

"A total of 478 patients in the age group of 21-30years have tested positive for coronavirus (in Maharashtra)while 446 others are in the age group of 31 to 40 years. Thenumber of patients who are in the age group of 41 years to 50years is 432," a state Health official said.

The senior IAS official said the only reason behind1646 people below 50 years contracting the coronavirusinfection is they fall under the active working class group.

"These are people who are either studying ortravelling for some business reasons. Hence they were the oneswho contracted the infection abroad," he said.

There were some deaths initially among the people whohad some travel history, but most of the cases in the last oneweek (April 5 to 12) are of the people who are above 50 yearsand had no travel history in the recent past, the officialexplained.

He further said that the average COVID-19 mortalityrate of Maharashtra was 7.34 per cent which is the fourthhighest in the country after Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh andPunjab.

"However, despite that the state is way ahead ofothers both in terms of the number of positive cases andfatalities due to the COVID-19 disease," he said.

Pointing out that 23 per cent of the total coronaviruspositive cases in India are reported from Maharashtra alone,the official said it is mainly due to the very high movementof international flights from the Mumbai Internationalairport.

"No airport in the country is as busy as Mumbai, henceit was natural to find more people contracting coronavirusinfection in Maharashtra than anywhere else in the country,"said another official. NDNSK NSK