Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Sunday said most of the people who are infected by the novel coronavirus in Kashmir valley are young and middle aged.
“Nearly 75 percent of Covid-19 cases are between 20 to 60 years of age,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement issued to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
“Based on our analysis from the data of all 989 laboratory confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of May 16, 739 cases (74.72 percent) are concentrated in 20-60 age group,” he said.
“Of these 739 cases, 278 cases (28.10 percent) are between 20 to 29 years of age, 179 cases (18.09 percent) are in the age group of 30-39, 149 cases (15.06 percent) belong to 40-49 and 133 cases (13.44) are between 50 and 60 years of age,” he added.
Dr Nisar said while the elderly are said to be most vulnerable to the disease, but as per our data patients above 60 years of age accounted for only 79 (7.98 percent) of the total cases in the Valley. “According to a WHO report those under 19 years of age make up only 2.4 percent of the total cases, but in Kashmir valley 171 (17.29 percent) of the total cases are in the age group of 0-19,” he said.
Dr Nisar said along with age, the gender-wise difference is also visible in confirmed cases. Our data reveals out of 989 cases, 597 (60.36 percent) are males, while 391 (39.53 percent) are females. “21 pregnant women are tested positive for the novel virus. One 8 month old infant is the valley’s youngest Covid victim,” he said.
Dr Nisar said Kashmir is among the highest Covid-19 case density areas in the country which is 141.28 cases per million of the population. “97 percent cases were either asymptomatic or had mild disease. Only 2 percent patients had severe disease and just 1 percent had critical illness,” he said.
Dr Nisar said the Covid death rate in Kashmir valley is 1.011 percent which is below than the national average of 3.15 percent. “Ten patients have succumbed to the disease. 8 of them were males while two were females. 7 of them were above 60 years of age and 8 had underlying medical conditions. Though the virus is fatal in elderly and those with medical conditions, we had one death in a pregnant woman and a young male 32 years of age died due to the disease,” he added.
“While the percentage of positive cases in Kashmir valley as per our data is 2.2 percent, the recovery rate is 48.7 percent which is more than the national average which stands at 35.09 percent,” said Dr Nisar.(KNS)
