News Rhianna Mc Kenzie 5 hours agoImage courtesy of CDC
The EPIDEMIOLOGIST Dr. Avery Hinds said high blood pressure and diabetes are the most common comorbidities seen in people who have died from Covid19.
He spoke at the Ministry of Health’s press conference on Wednesday.
He said other pre-existing conditions found in Covid19 deaths include asthma, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and malignancies from various cancers.
“When we talk about comorbidities, we want to emphasize that people sometimes don’t know about previous illnesses because they haven’t seen a doctor,” said Hinds.
“Not knowing that you have a comorbidity is not the same as not having one.”
He said that around 77 percent of all those who died of Covid19 had one or the other comorbidity, with more found in men than women.
The number of men among the fatalities has decreased. He said where 75 percent of men died from the virus, down to about 60 percent, with the majority of people in the age group 60 and older and many with pre-existing conditions.
He warned that because people are in the younger age group, people should not think that they are safe.
“Be aware that the sooner you get in touch, the better your chances of survival, the sooner you get in touch with the diagnosis at home.”
He said that if a patient in isolation at home notices changes such as shortness of breath or fatigue, they should contact the health system immediately for a re-evaluation to improve their chances of survival.
