The younger generation’s exposure appears to be increased in the coronavirus’ hard-hitting third wave, according to officials.
It was the South Pest Hospital Center’s chief infectologist, János Szlávik who first spoke of a shift towards the younger generations. At the end of February, he said that according to their observations, people aged 40-50 without any underlying illness more often need hospitalization than before.
Then on March 3rd, two other officials confirmed this trend. According to the Chief Medical Officer, the number of patients in need of ventilation is rising tremendously and the age group is also shifting towards younger people. “There are many in their forties whose condition undergoes a sudden deterioration,” Cecília Müller claimed.
Intensive Care Specialist of the Hungarian Defense Forces Healthcare Institute, Ádám Péter, also stated that now during the third wave, more younger patients are being hospitalized and are in more severe condition.
The same trend can be witnessed at Pécs’s hospital, where 58% of the people under treatment with serious coronavirus symptoms are under 60, and the same number applies to those needing intensive care.
According to today’s morning data on the official government information site, some 100 people (10%) were under the age of 60 (most of them with an underlying illness) among the last 1,000 coronavirus victims in Hungary. The youngest patient who has died of Covid in Hungary was a 16-year-old girl with a lymphatic system-related underlying illness.
featured image illustration via MTI/Károly Árvai/kormany.hu
