Experts say elderly at risk of COVID-19

Chennai: Tamil Nadu added 329 new COVID-19 cases taking the active cases tally in the state to 1,703 on Saturday. However, Covid patients admitted to hospitals with severity are elderly or those with comorbid conditions, mostly without adequate vaccination, said officials from the Directorate of public health.

Around 5 per cent of the active cases in the state are admitted to hospitals. "Many patients admitted are not because of COVID-19 or its symptoms. They incidentally tested positive for the viral infection when they were in the hospital for another treatment," said Director of public health Dr T S Selva Vinayagam.

On Saturday, of the 81 patients admitted to hospitals, 57 were inwards, 23 were on oxygen support, and one required intensive care.

"People who died over the last two months after testing positive had diseases such as cancer. Reports suggest that they died because of complications of the chronic disease. A committee will review the case sheets before their names are added to the toll," he said.

Infectious disease experts say that almost everyone - even the young, healthy, and vaccinated - are at risk for getting the infection. But patients above 60, particularly those suffering from cardiac, or kidney disease, uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension have severe disease.

"Among the elderly and people with comorbid conditions, the immunity is lower making them more prone to infections. And the quickly transmissible sub-variants of Omicron like the XBB, XBB.1, XBB.1.16 are elevating the risk. In addition, these patients have a higher chance of complications like pneumonia and respiratory failure," said infectious diseases expert Dr Subramanian Swaminathan of Gleneagles Global Hospitals.

Doctors strongly recommend elderly with comorbid conditions, particularly the unvaccinated, stay indoors. There were 108 new cases in Chennai, followed by 32 in Chengalpet, 27 in Kanyakumari, 18 in Ranipet, 17 in Coimbatore, 16 in Tiruvallur and 12 each in Cuddalore and Trichy. At least 25 districts reported cases in single digits. Kallakurichi, which tested 36 people, Karur (57), Krishnagiri (61), Nilgiris(26) and Villupuram (70) reported no new cases of the viral infection.