Italy COVID- 19 deaths: 84% Covid-19 (corona) positive deaths are among people aged above 70 years.

In Italy, 84% Covid-19 (corona) positive deaths are among people aged above 70 years 

Therefore, take care of the elders. 

Since, last more than 6-7 years, Flu in every winter causes an average of 17000 deaths in Italy. 

As per the report prepared by Italies COVID-19 Surveillance Group and published on 30.03.2020 the number of cases of deaths who are positive has reached upto 10026 and average age of patients dying for COVID-2019 infection was 78 yrs. Women dying for COVID-2019 infection had an older age than men i.e., average age is 82. 84% of the deceased are over 70 years old and 10% of the deceased are over 90 years old.  

Overall, 51.7% of the deceased presented were already suffering from three or more chronic diseases, 24.5% with 2 chronic diseases, 21.6% with single chronic disease and 2.1% without any other disease.  The chronic diseases include in particular cardiovascular problems, diabetes, respiratory problems and cancer. Experts says, in such cases whether the actual cause of death was the corona virus or already existing diseases is not yet known. 

Northern Italy has the worst air quality in Europe. In Italy, the elderly population is very high. 22% of the population is 65 years and older and more than 10% of the total population is over the age of 75 years, which is more prone to this type of disease. This is increasing the number of respiratory diseases and deaths there, and therefore there is an additional risk of the current epidemic.

As per the study published in 2019, International Journal of Infectious Diseases; 7,027, 20,259, 15,801 and 24,981 persons of Italy died in the winter season of 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 respectively due to flu/ influenza. Means only in winter season of 5 years, 68068 patients died i.e., on an average 17017 patients died in each winter season of Italy.  It’s very unfortunate that the death toll is increasing yearly in every winter season of Italy. 

Compiled by: Dr Indrajit Khandekar

References: 

1) Report prepared by Italies COVID-19 Surveillance Group and published on 30thth March 20,  (available on https://www.epicentro.iss.it/coronavirus/bollettino/Report-COVID-2019_30_marzo_eng.pdf)

2) Investigating the impact of influenza on excess mortality in all ages in Italy during recent seasons (2013/14–2016/17 seasons). Aldo Rosanoa,b, Antonino Bellaa , Francesco Gesualdoc et al. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 88 (2019) 127–134.  https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(19)30328-5/fulltext

3) High Public-Health Impact in an Influenza-B-Mismatch Season in Southern Italy, 2017-2018. Daniela Loconsole , Anna Lisa De Robertis, Anna Morea et al. BioMed Research International. 2019. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2019/4643260/ 

4) Italy Demographics Profile 2019. https://www.indexmundi.com/italy/demographics_profile.html