KUALA LUMPUR, August 14 — The surge of Covid-19 cases across Europe is mainly due to an increase in infections among young people, the Guardian reported.
The UK paper said 20 to 39-year-olds now account for up to 40 per cent of new Covid-19 cases in France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands, compared to the early months of the coronavirus pandemic in March and April that saw the biggest proportion of cases reported among older people.
Data from Robert Koch Institute, Germany, showed that the age group of 20 to 29 and 30 to 39 accounted for 37.5 per cent of new Covid-19 cases.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn reportedly said the average age of people getting infected now was 34, the youngest since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
Studies from Carlos III Health Institute Spain showed nearly 22 per cent of new cases were among 20 to 29-year-olds, while more than 15 per cent of new cases were among 30 to 39 year olds.
Chief epidemiologist of the Netherlands, Jaap van Dissel, reportedly told Members of Parliament that the surge of cases in the Netherlands has not led to an increase in hospitalisations, intensive care admissions, or deaths because most of the cases recorded involved young individuals with milder symptoms.
The Netherlands is recording an average of 600 new coronavirus cases a day, which is more than half of its peak of the pandemic, with 41 per cent of the cases seen among the age group of 20 to 39, as studied by the National Institute for Public Health and Environment of Netherlands.
France reported a drop in the infection rate among those aged between 80 to 89 to half, while the rate of infection of the age group over 90 dropped from 60 per cent to 13 per cent.
With regards to this, France has expanded its weekly testing numbers as when compared to early May, roughly 225 people per 100,000 under the age of 30 were being tested for the coronavirus, but it has now doubled to nearly 500.
“There’s no reason to imagine it can be contained to just one age group, without affecting others, ” Pascal Crépey, an epidemiologist and public health expert, told Le Parisien.
French epidemiologist Martin Blachier reportedly said young people were now being screened after not getting tested back in March and April, despite being infected then and showing mild symptoms of coronavirus.
“These are young people, who obviously felt the need to start socialising again. During the lockdown they followed the instructions they were given, and they’re taking advantage of what they’re allowed to do now.”
