60% patients in BDC aged below 30

CHANDIGARH: Out of every 10 infected people in Bapu Dham Colony, six are below the age of 30, UT’s health department data show.

The novel coronavirus outbreak in this congested locality started on April 24 when a 30-year-old operating theatre attendant of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, was tested positive. So far, 226 people have been infected here.

The most affected age group is between 21 to 30 years in which 56 people have been found infected, of which 47% are women. Fifty-six people are in the age group of 11 to 20, including 37% women.

Around 49% of the infected people in the colony are between the age group of 11 to 30 and experts say this was because of the mobility of the young population.

The age group between 1 to 10 constitutes 13% of those infected.

The least impacted group among all are women in the age group of 41 to 50 years. Out of total 24 people infected in this group, only 25% are women. Also, only eight persons above the age of 60 have been found Covid-19 positive and one died.

Dr JS Thakur, professor at school of public health at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), who has worked on the nature of disease outbreaks in colonies in Chandigarh, links it with the basic nature of migration.

“The young people migrate in greater percentage who eventually settle in congested colonies, usually due to lack of resources. So, if a survey of population in these areas is conducted, it is expected that more young people will be living there. Thus, they are the most affected group. However, this needs deeper investigation,” Dr Thakur said.

PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram said the productive age group is the most affected group because they are more exposed to the virus and it reflects in the national trend.