COVID-19 infection rate increased among people aged 31-40 years after unlocking, says Maharashtra govt

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Data released by Maharashtra government’s Medical Education and Drugs Department has revealed that people aged between 31 and 40 years are more prone to contracting COVID-19. A Hindustan Times report citing Maharashtra government data stated that people belonging to this age group also reported the highest percentage of cases at 21.34 percent. What is more alarming is that the percentage of infection in people aged between 31 and 40 years increased further after lockdown restrictions started getting lifted in a phased manner.

Maharashtra has reported 14,53,653 coronavirus cases and 38,347 COVID-19 fatalities so far. There are 2,52,277 active coronavirus cases in Maharashtra at present. The maximum number of novel coronavirus infected persons belong to the age group of 31-40 years, followed by those aged between 41 and 50 years at 17.90 percent, 21-30 years at 16.98 percent, and 51-60 years at 15.95 percent, government data revealed.

The data further revealed that the rate of infection among people aged between 31 and 40 years increased over the past months after lockdown restrictions were relaxed to revive the economy. The percentage of infection in this age group kept rising steadily from 20.54 percent on June 4 to 20.74 percent on July 4 and 21.14 percent on August 4.

A Maharashtra Health Department official said: “Major activities, including inter-district movement, a rise in office workforce, and the reopening of commercial activities from the first week of September, have led to a sudden spurt in the number of COVID-19 patients from the age group of 31 and 40 years over the past one month. The common perception about the viral disease among the public is that youngsters can be allowed to step out, while senior citizens must stay at home.”

In the period starting June 4 to October 4, the coronavirus infection rate has also increased among people aged between 61 and 70 years and 71 and 80 years, from 9.72 percent to 10.63 percent and from 4.19 percent to 5.02 percent, respectively.

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