Elderly continue to be hardest hit by coronavirus – The Sun Chronicle

According to the state Department of Public Health, the average age of those dying from coronavirus is now 79.

And the statistics DPH presents bear it out.

Currently, 91% of all deaths are among those 60 and up and 54% of all deaths are among those 80 and up.

The latest two-week period between April 3 and April 16 showed a surge of 8,697 cases to 13,113, which was an increase of 51%.

During that time there were 6,086 cases among those from the age of 0 to 19 and no deaths.

There were 16,166 cases among those from the age of 20 to 59 and just four deaths.

Those from the age of 60 to 80 and above had 4,496 cases and 57 deaths.

Those 80 and over suffered the most deaths, with 35, or 57%, of the 61 deaths during that period.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, those 80 and over have suffered 54% of all deaths, which is 10,943 out of 20,208 total deaths.

And during that time, that age group has had the fewest number of cases at 54,853, which is 3% of all 1,733,156 cases as of April 16.

Meanwhile, those from the age of 70 to 79 have suffered 4,678 deaths, which is 23% of the 20,208 total deaths as of April 16.

That groups percentage of deaths is less than half the 80 and over group, but their percentage of cases is slightly more at 4%.

Those from the age of 20 through the age of 59 account for 60% of all cases and 9% of all deaths.

Those numbers are 1,048,158 and 1,851, respectively.

Those 1,851 deaths is a death percentage of just 0.17%, or just under two-tenths of one percent, for the number of cases which afflicted the group.

And the youngest group of those afflicted with coronavirus, those from the age of 0 through 19, account for 24% of all cases and 0.11%, or one-tenth of 1%, of all deaths; those numbers are 416,395 and 23, respectively.

Meanwhile, as the number of cases rose, the number of those being cared for in intensive care units, or ICUs, fell.

On Friday, when the number of cases for the week ending April 22 hit 13,198, the number of those in ICUs fell from 37 to 25 since the week ending April 15.

And the number of those intubated with breathing apparatus declined from 15 to 12.

The numbers of those in ICUs and on breathing apparatus indicates this latest surge is less deadly.

On Friday, there were 389 people hospitalized statewide with 12 on breathing apparatus and 25 in an ICU.

The last time there were that many people hospitalized (391) on Feb. 28, about two months ago, there were 39 patients on breathing apparatus and 71 patients in ICUs.

George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.

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Elderly continue to be hardest hit by coronavirus - The Sun Chronicle