New Delhi: Top medical experts Monday quashed the view that more youngsters are getting hit by the second wave of COVID-19 infections. They said that the older population continues to remain more vulnerable to COVID-19 infections. They said over 70 per cent of COVID-19 patients in both the waves are above 40 years.
ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said this at press conference here. He said there is no difference in deaths between first and second wave among hospitalised patients. However, while the oxygen requirement is higher in second wave, the need for ventilators has gone down.
Prevalence of shortness of breath is slightly higher in the second wave of COVID-19. However, sore throat and dry cough and other symptoms were higher in the first wave, Bhargava informed. “No difference in deaths between first and second wave among hospitalised patients. About 54.5 per cent patients require oxygen in second wave against 41.5 per cent in the first wave,” he said.
“More than 70 per cent patients in both waves are more than 40 years old, only marginally higher proportion of younger patients. Higher proportion of asymptomatic patients in the second wave,” Bhargava informed. He said they have arrived at the conclusion, based on the study of 1,885 patients in second wave and 7,600 in the first.
NITI Aayog Member (Health) VK Paul said in the first wave 31 per cent patients were aged less than 30 years. In the second wave the figure has gone up to 32 per cent. “Essentially there is no difference,” Paul asserted.
Bhargava appealed that wastage of oxygen must not happen and it should be rationalised. Paul added that remdesivir must be used on hospitalised patients in moderate stages of illness.
