India’s positivity rate of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) may have been hovering around 8% for a while now, but the death rate has been declining gradually, highlighting the fact that India is losing fewer people to the viral disease as compared to most of the developed countries in the world.
Also read: Fatality rate lower than 1% over last 10 days, says Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain
As on today, India’s case fatality rate (CFR), the proportion of people who have died among the confirmed cases, at 1.5% is nearly half of the global average of 3.2%. The Centre is aiming at bringing down the CFR to 1% or below.
Government mortality analysis data shows that men are far more likely to die from Covid-19 in India than women, with the former accounting for 69% of all fatalities, which is in line with the global scenario and based on the evidence currently available.
The analysis of mortality data by the Union health ministry also shows that a majority of deaths were among those above 50 years of age. It showed that 1% of those who succumbed to the viral infection were below 17 years; another 1% between 18 and 25 years; 11% deaths among 26- and 44-year-olds; and 36% among people in the 45 and 60 years age group.
{{/usCountry}}The analysis of mortality data by the Union health ministry also shows that a majority of deaths were among those above 50 years of age. It showed that 1% of those who succumbed to the viral infection were below 17 years; another 1% between 18 and 25 years; 11% deaths among 26- and 44-year-olds; and 36% among people in the 45 and 60 years age group.
{{/usCountry}}People with comorbidities and elderly are at high risk, as almost 70% of those who die have one or more comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac, renal or liver disease.
The data collated by government’s integrated disease surveillance programme based on the information received from various hospitals across the country shows that about 77% of those hospitalised had some form of underlying medical condition. Many of those who succumbed to disease had been suffering from more than one condition.
Hypertension and diabetes are the most common comorbidities found in these patients, with 5.63% and 5.10% hospitalised patients suffering from it respectively. Liver disease is a close third with at least 1.82% of the patients being diagnosed with it.
The other common health conditions included heart disease, asthma, chronic renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), low immunity, malignancy, bronchitis and chronic neuromuscular disease.
India’s cumulative Covid-19 cases as on date stand at 6,073,310, and the number of patients who have died of the viral disease since the first death on March 12, is 95,567.