Coronavirus: what is the profile of the victims?

While the Coronavirus epidemic continues to spread throughout the world, including in France, where the growth in the number of cases is exponential (see the latest report), the profile of patients is gradually being studied. What should be remembered is that the majority of patients in intensive care have underlying pathologies but this is not all people.

1-85% of forms are “minor”

According to Ministry of Healthabout 15% of observed cases lead to complications and 5% of the latter require hospitalization in intensive care.

Most Coronavirus patients suffer from mild symptoms. As a reminder, the main symptoms are fever and fever. The sudden loss of smell, without nasal obstruction and the total disappearance of taste are also symptoms that have been observed. In people developing more serious forms, there are breathing difficulties, which can lead to hospitalization in intensive care and death.

2-More men admitted to intensive care

In its latest epidemiological update (published this Tuesday, March 24, 2020), Santé Publique France, tells us a little more about the profile of people affected by the coronavirus. Health authorities observe that of the 358 patients admitted to intensive care in France, 73% were male compared to 26% female. Men therefore represent almost three quarters of the cases of Covid-19 requiring resuscitation! On the mortality side, on the other hand, Public Health France notes that 57% of deaths linked to the coronavirus concern men, i.e. a little more than half of the deaths.

According to a large Chinese epidemiological study, conducted on 45,000 patients between December 18 and February 11,Men were slightly more numerous than women to be infected with the virus, 51.4%, against 48.6%, but succumbed to it significantly more: of the first 1,023 deaths, 63.8% were male, against 36 .2% female.

3-Few child victims of Covid-19, high risk for the elderly

The virus affects all age groups, including the youngest, in whom there are also complications or serious forms, now observes the Ministry of Health. The median number of people hospitalized in intensive care is 58 years oldwhich means that half of the patients hospitalized in intensive care are under 58 years old and the other half are over 58 years old.

Covid-19 infection, however, leads to death mainly among the elderly and the most fragile.

The over 60s represent 96% of deaths.
The over 70s account for 86% of deaths.
People over 80 account for 62% of deaths.

Recall that in France a 16-year-old girl died at the end of March as a result of Covid-19. To date, this is the youngest victim in the country.

Still, children remain little subject to Covid-19. This is also the conclusion of the Chinese experience: out of 44,672 confirmed cases, only 2% of patients were under 20 years old, and 10% under 30 years old. The first 1,023 deaths recorded only one child, in the 10-19 age group. In China too, the elderly were the most exposed to this eventuality, with a pivotal age set around 60.

4-More risk for people who are already sick

The other aggravating factor is the fact of having a disease before contracting Covid-19 such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cancer… In such cases, the risk of succumbing to the virus are two to three times higher according to Chinese researchers.

Public Health France notes in its latest epidemiological bulletin (published on March 24) that in the week preceding, the average age of cases admitted to intensive care was 65 years (26% are over 75 years old) and that the majority (67%) of cases had at least one potential risk factor for complication. The two most frequently reported risk factors being diabetes (23%) and cardiac pathologies (22%).

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