Youth and children continue to be most affected by COVID-19, with 39% of the total number of cases reported in July being people below 30 years of age.
According to statistics made available by the Health Department, from July 1 to July 30, 3,587 cases were reported in the district. Of these, 1,427 cases were people below 30 years of age. This includes 1,034 cases in the age group of 18 to 30 years.
In the same month, 835 persons in the age group of 31 to 40 and 583 persons between 41 to 50 years of age were also infected. Similarly, 742 persons above 51 years of age had tested positive in July.
“Those in the age group of 18 to 30 were mainly affected by the virus as most of them are yet to be vaccinated and many not adhering to COVID safety norms. The same was seen for people in the age group of 31 to 40. It is very important for them to adhere to COVID-19 precautions,” said a senior official from the Health Department.
10% cases are children
As many as 393 children, comprising 10% of the total cases in July, who had tested positive were found to be below 18 years of age. This includes 137 children below 10 years and 256 children between 11 and 18 years.
However, officials said that there is no need for panic and almost all cases were asymptomatic. There is no concrete evidence confirming that children will be most affected in the third wave. However, the children need to be given proper care. In the meantime, the district administration is strengthening paediatric care keeping in view the possible third wave, they said.
District Medical & Health Officer (DMHO) P. Surya Narayana said that exclusive paediatric wards are being set up at the Family Welfare Ward of the Government Hospital for Mental Care (GHMC), King George Hospital (KGH), and Gosha Hospital.
“Apart from them, paediatric facilities like special newborn care units and newborn stabilisation units will be strengthened and used as paediatric care units,” he added.
The DMHO said that around 75% of people above 45 years of age have received at least one dose of vaccine in the district. “People who were not vaccinated are mainly testing positive. So, people should come forward for vaccination,” he said.
77 new cases
The district has reported 77 COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours ending Wednesday morning, taking the cumulative tally to 1,53,325. The death toll has also increased to 1,055 after one more person succumbed to the virus. During the same time period, 112 persons who were undergoing treatment for the infection had recovered completely, according to the update. The number of recoveries increased to 1,50,711, which is about 98.2%. The active caseload has fallen to 1,559.