‘45% COVID-19 victims had no comorbidities’

Mortality data show more deaths in younger age segments

At least 45% of patients who succumbed during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic had no underlying comorbid conditions, according to a mortality analysis undertaken by the Health Department. The study, which examined a total of 866 deaths that occurred till May 31 during the second wave, found that while 461 patients had some form of comorbidity — most commonly diabetes mellitus, hypertension or chronic renal disease — 404 patients had no underlying risk. No data was available in the case of one patient, a document prepared by the Health Department noted. This is also the point in the mortality graph where the second wave has pulled away to differentiate itself from the chart of the first wave of COVID-19 that began in January-March in 2020. The other departure was in the high proportions of deaths in the younger age segments with the study finding that 32.2% of casualties were in the 45-60 age group.