In TN, virus is killing young people with no comorbidities

In TN, virus is killing young people with no comorbidities

No Scientific Reason Yet About Why Young People Are Dying

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  12.05.2021 

More young and healthy people —without comorbid conditions and below 40 years — are now dying of Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu, directorate of public health data shows.

On January 10, when TN’s Covid death toll reached 12,222, around 18% (2,084) were those without any comorbidities. By May 9, such people accounted for 6063 of the 15,648 deaths (39%). On Tuesday, 78 of the 298 people who died in the state had no comorbid conditions.

“In absolute numbers, deaths are still high among people above 50 years of age and among people with uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension. But during the last four to six weeks, we are seeing more young and healthy people in ICUs,” said Kilpauk Medical College Hospital dean Dr Vasanthamani P. “Some of them don’t make it.”

On Tuesday, five of the 298 who died were in their 20s and had no comorbid conditions. Of the people in their 30s, were a 30-year-old man and 37-year-old woman with diabetes, a 38-yearold man with hypertension and another man with chronic kidney disease. At least 21 of the 48 people in their 40s had no comorbid conditions.

Between January and May, the growth rate of deaths was highest (37%) among people in the 31-40 age group. On January 10, there were 456 deaths in this age group and 623 on May 9. In the same period, deaths in the 20-30 age group rose from 142 to 187, by 31%. Overall deaths jumped by 28% from 12,222 to 15,648. Since then, 8 people in their 20s and 35 people in their 30s have died.

Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital dean Dr Theranirajan said, “We have been able to reduce morbidity and mortality in people who reach hospitals early.”

Experts say that while more people below 40 years are juggling for space in ICUs with senior citizens, they don’t know why more young and healthy people are dying. “We don’t have any scientific reasons for this yet. We don’t know if the profile of young people we see now is from a better socio-economic background with higher risk of lifestyle disorders,” said senior infectious diseases expert Dr V Ramasubramanian.

Between January and May, the growth rate of deaths in Tamil Nadu as per official data was highest (37%) among people in the 31-40 age group