Older people more vulnerable to coronavirus, warns DAK

“If you are old, you are at a higher risk of having a severe disease and even death from the novel virus,” DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan said in a statement issued here on Sunday.

He said based on data from confirmed cases of the novel virus, about 80 per cent of people who died from the virus were above 60 years of age. “The highest death rate was in people over the age of 80,” he said, adding around 15 per cent of people in this age group died from the disease.

Dr Hassan said people with underlying chronic medical conditions also increase the risk of dying from the new virus.

He said while the fatality rate in patients with no health conditions was 1.4 per cent, it was 13.2 per cent for those with heart disease, 9.2 per cent with diabetes, 8.4 per cent with high blood pressure, 8 per cent with chronic lung disease, and 7.6 per cent with cancer.

Dr Hassan said elderly and people with medical conditions have weak immune system that promotes viral replication leaving them at a higher risk of developing severe complications from the virus.

He said it is important to remember that older people may not manifest with the usual symptoms of the novel coronavirus that are fever and cough. “We should be alert for atypical presentations in them,” Dr Hassan said.

“Feeling weak or changes in mental status might be the only signs of infection in older people. A fall or forgetfulness or feeling of unwellness in an elderly could be due to the viral illness, even if other, more common symptoms aren’t in evidence,” he said.

“Older people and those with comorbidities should take extra precautions to prevent the contraction of virus. Apart from maintaining personal hygiene by hand washing, they should try to stay home as much as they can, and avoid crowds and nonessential travel,” he added.