Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Sunday said aged persons were vulnerable to COVID-19 resulting from Coronavirus.
“Ifyou are old, you are at a higher risk of having severe disease and even deathfrom the novel virus,” said DAK President, Dr Nisar ul Hassan. “The highestdeath rate was in people over the age of 80. Around 15% people in this agegroup died from the disease.”
Dr Hassan said people withunderlying chronic medical conditions were also vulnerable to the disease. Hesaid while fatality rate in patients with no health conditions was 1.4 percent,it was 13.2 percent for those with heart disease, 9.2 percent for those withdiabetes, 8.4 percent for people withhigh blood pressure, eight percent for people with chronic lung disease, and7.6% for those with cancer.
Dr Nisar said elderly and people with medical conditionshave weak immune system that promotes viral replication leaving them at ahigher risk. “We should be alert for atypical presentations in them,” Dr Hassansaid. “Feeling weak or changes in mental status might be the only signs of infectionin older people.”
“Olderpeople and those with comorbidities should take extra precautions to preventthe contraction of virus. Apart from maintaining personal hygiene by handwashing, they should try to stay home as much as they can and avoid crowds andnonessential travel,” said Dr Hassan.