WHO: 95% of Europe virus deaths in over 60s

The head of the World Health Organization's office in Europe says figures show that more than 95 percent of people who have died of coronavirus on the continent have been aged over 60.

But Dr. Hans Kluge said age is not the only risk factor for severe disease, adding: "The very notion that COVID-19 only affects older people is factually wrong."

In an online news conference Thursday in Copenhagen, Kluge said "young people are not invincible" _ echoing similar recent comments from WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The U.N. health agency says 10 to 15 percent of people aged under 50 with the disease have moderate or severe infection.

"Severe cases of the disease have been seen in people in their teens or 20s with many requiring intensive care and some unfortunately passing away," Kluge said.

He said recent statistics showed 30,098 people have been reported to have died in Europe, mostly in Italy, France and Spain.

"We know that over 95 percent of these deaths occurred in those older than 60 years," he said, with more than half aged over 80.

Kluge said more than four in five of those people had at least one other chronic underlying conditions, like cardiovascular disease, hypertension or diabetes.

"On a positive note, there are reports of people over the age of 100 who were admitted to hospital for COVID-19 and have now since made a complete recovery," he said.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.