Coronavirus: Study suggests older people are most at risk

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, a study published by the Chinese health authorities suggest that those who are 80 years old or above have higher chances to succumb to the virus. The study published in the Chinese Journal of Epidemiology reveals that the people within the age-groups of 80 and above have the highest fatality rates as comparec to of all age groups. Furthermore, according to the study, the death rate from the disease for males was 2.8 per cent and that for females was about 1.7 per cent. 

The death toll for the novel Coronavirus hit 1,868 in mainland China. As per the Chinese state health committee, it has increased by 98 in just one day. The committee also added that the number of confirmed cases has gone up by 1,886 to 72,436. 

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The doctors from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention have further noted that the majority of the patients were aged between 30 to 69 years, out of which 51.5 per cent were male and 22 per cent were farmers or labourers. The study also identified existing illness that put patients at risk. Patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and hypertension are more prone to risk. 

The data also suggests that more than 80 per cent of the cases are mild. According to the study, the outbreak peaked in late January and it further described the virus as 'highly contagious' that spreads 'extremely rapidly' even in the face of an 'extreme response' by China. The authors have further warned that with many people returning from a long holiday, China needs to prepare for the possible rebound of the epidemic. 

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Coronavirus cases in 20 countries

First detected in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, the virus outbreak has now spread across 20 countries since December 2019. About 1,701 people have recovered from the disease, whereas, a total of 12,552 coronavirus patients have by now been discharged from hospitals. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has dubbed the virus as COVID-19.

The death toll for n-Coronavirus has surpassed the tolls from the SARS epidemic of 2002-03. The origin of the virus has been linked to the local seafood market of Wuhan, which is the capital of Hubei province in central China. Few of the countries currently affected by the virus include Singapore, Thailand, Japan, India, and the United States.

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