Sinthia Hoque:-Canada’s high vaccination rates and more infectious variants seem to be shifting from seniors to now younger people in the third wave.
According to data published by Health Canada, it seems that fewer seniors were hospitalized in April from COVID-19 than they had in January during the second wave. It also seems that the number of hospitalizations for those under 60 has elevated significantly.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer, has also started from the start of the pandemic that though COVID-19 is riskier for the elderly, it still has the capability to bring younger people down as well. As the more infectious variants of COVID-19 spread and as more people get infected, it seems that though rare, more younger people are also having severe complications. “As a result it reaches many more people, resulting in, even if they’re rare events becoming more frequent”, Dr. Theresa Tam stated. “So I do think that is a key aspect of why we’re seeing more younger individuals getting into hospitals…even rare events can be more common”.
Amongst many heartbreaking cases of younger individuals dying due to COVID-19, a 13-year-old girl from Brampton, Ontario, Emily Viegas was amongst one of them, including a suspected COVID-19 death of 17-year-old Sarah Strate in Magrath, Alta on April 26th.
In addition, British Columbia had also recorded its first death of the patient in their 20s last week, as well a child under the age of two with pre-existing medical conditions dying from COVID-19.
As of April 23rd, eight people under the age of 19 have died from the virus in Canada, with half of them since February, with a whopping 40 or more per cent of them being in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. As for the COVID-19 infected patients in their 40s, more than half of ICU admissions have also taken place since February, making the third wave one of the worst Canada has witnessed before.
The daily average cases of COVID-19 in January was around 8,100, whereas in April it has reached about 8,700. About 1,400 patients are in the intensive care unit in Canada right now, an increase from the 900 patients in January. According to Tam, most of these patients are under the age of 70.
Severe complications are still rising in the 70s age group, despite more than eight in ten people being vaccinated. The number of residents over the age of 70 who have died due to the virus between March 26th and April 23rd, has felled more than 77 per cent, with hospitalizations falling 44 per cent and intensive care admissions falling 15 per cent.
A number of deaths have also fallen significantly for residents aged 50 to 70, with about 38 per cent, however, new hospitalizations for residents aged 50 increased by about 25 per cent, and hospitalizations about 40 per cent.
Though there were rather small increases in those aged 50, residents in their 40s, hospitalizations increased by 65 per cent, with ICU admissions being almost 60 per cent. Hospitalizations for residents in their 20s, and 30s increased 40 per cent, with ICU admissions increasing by about 57 per cent.
