Mortality among young and middle-aged group a cause for concern: K Sudhakar orders death audit

Concerned by mortality among middle-aged and young people, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar directed the state Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) here on Tuesday to conduct death audits.

As per data presented in the meeting with the union health minister on Tuesday, out of 307 deaths reported in the last one month, 76 were between 45 and 59 years of age while 214 were above 60 years of age.

However, when DH contacted the top five districts in the state that had the highest number of Covid deaths, the districts maintained that they had mostly observed deaths in the above 60 age group, especially those with co-morbidities.

According to the state Covid bulletin, the highest number of Covid deaths have been reported in Bengaluru Urban (4,693 including BBMP), Mysuru (1,067), Dakshina Kannada (740), Dharwad (633), and Ballari (600).

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According to the last available report from the state Covid-19 War Room, there have been 217 deaths in the 20 to 29 years age group, 561 in the 30 to 39 years age group, and 1,397 deaths in the 40-49 years age group. The corresponding case fatality rates for these age groups are 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.8% respectively.

Although, case fatality rates are a function of the total number of cases reported in these age groups which are 1,96,939; 2,07,941; and 1,68,971 respectively.

Dr S Sachchidanand, Vice-Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences told DH, "During the first wave once the cases started increasing, death audit was decentralised and now individual districts have their own committees to analyse Covid deaths."

Bangalore Urban District District Surveillance Officer Dr Manohar N, said, "In four taluks of Bangalore Urban district: North, East, South and Anekal, we have analysed 443 deaths, another 15 are pending. We have formed teams of physicians and paediatricians in each taluk." Adding further he said, "We did not see any deaths in the second wave. Whatever deaths we have seen during the first wave are between 55 years and 60 years."

Dakshin Kannada Covid nodal officer Dr Ashok H said, "We had formed a special committee and have analysed 742 deaths. First, it is analysed at the institutional level. Co-morbid deaths are more. Only in 17 deaths, they were suffering from Covid without co-morbidities.

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Due to panic earlier they have not come out of their houses and due to irregular treatment, they have succumbed. Seventy per cent of the patients are in home isolation but there has been only one death so far at home."

TAC members said they were yet to receive instructions to do these death audits as announced by the minister to the Press.

Dharwad District Health Officer Dr Yashwant Madinkar said out of 630 Covid deaths, 627 were analysed. "Recent deaths are yet to be analysed. The highest deaths were in the above 60 years age group with no co-morbidities. The expert committee in KIMS re-analyse the death audit done by the district teams."