Men Account for 70% of Total Covid-19 Deaths in India, 53% Among Those Aged Above 60 Years: Health Ministry

Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said the number of deaths due to Covid-19 in India has been recorded highest among men. Of 1,09,856 deaths recorded till Tuesday morning, 70 per cent or 76,899 deaths were accounted for by men and 32,957 by women, the ministry said.

Across states, the highest mortality; 40,514, has been recorded in Maharashtra, followed by 10,314 deaths in Tamil Nadu and 10,036 in Karnataka, 6,438 in Uttar Pradesh and 6,256 in Andhra Pradesh, said Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The mortality rate in India due to coronavirus is the third highest in the world, after United States of America (2,20,021 deaths) and Brazil (1,50,709 deaths).

With 77,760 new recoveries, active cases on Tuesday further come down to 8.38 lakh. The high share of Covid-19 deaths countrywide confirms the trend that has earlier been recorded and studied in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. A scientific paper published in Science journal had found that till August 1, 71 per cent of deaths in the two southern states were accounted by men. Men also accounted for 61 per cent and 63 per cent of cases seen in these states till August 1.

The health secretary also revealed an age-group related breakup of Covid-19 deaths in the country. People aged 60 years or above accounted for 53 per cent of Covid-19 deaths in the country, whereas 35 per cent deaths were of people in the age-group of 45-60. Those in the 26-44 years group accounted for 10 per cent of deaths while the rest were in the age group of people below 26 years.

When it fatalities owing to Covid-19 and comorbidities, those aged 60 and above were the most affected. Around 24.6 per cent of people in the 60 and above age category who died of Covid-19 had prior comorbidities while in the 45-60 years age group, 13.9 per cent who died had comorbidities. Overall, across age-groups, 17.9 per cent Covid-19 fatalities had prior comorbidities. Experts believe that coronary artery disease, diabetes, renal issues and hypertension are some of the common comorbidities seen among Covid-19 patients.

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