In Himachal, 30-44 age group hit hard during second Covid wave

Subhash Rajta

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 5

The second Covid-19 wave has been a lot harsher than the first one on people in the age group of 30-44 years, with the death percentage almost doubling during the second wave.

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“While this group accounted for 7.23 per cent of the total deaths during the first wave, the percentage in the second wave has risen to 12.82 per cent. As against 71 deaths in this group during the first wave, the number has gone up to 290 in the second wave,” said a government spokesperson.

The death percentage has also gone up in the age group of 45-59 years. As against 24.33 per cent deaths in the first wave, the figure has reached 27.45 per cent in the second wave. “The fatality percentage for below-30 and 60-plus categories has decreased in the second wave,” he said.

The average number of daily infections during the second wave (1,342) has been almost eight times that during the first wave (171).

The number of deaths also saw a substantial increase. The toll in the second wave so far has reached 2,262, while it was 982 in the first wave.

“Out of total Covid deaths in the state so far, 69.7 per cent have occurred in the second wave. The mean age of the deceased in the second wave is 61 years as against 64.2 years in the first wave,” said the spokesperson.

There has not been much difference in the percentage of hospital deaths in the first and second wave. “This indicates that although the number of cases increased in the second wave, the hospitals were well prepared with resources like beds, oxygen and medicines to save lives,” he said.