Covid-19: Unvaccinated senior citizens account for maximum deaths in Mumbai

Those aged between 40 and 60 accounted for 13 per cent of deaths in third wave.

A Staff Reporter

Published: Tue 25 Jan 2022, 3:34 PM

Senior citizens accounted for 84 per cent of the 159 Covid-19 deaths in Mumbai in the third wave in January, according to figures compiled by the municipal corporation.

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An analysis of the mortalities by the civic body revealed that senior citizens have been the most vulnerable group throughout the pandemic.

Those aged between 40 and 60 accounted for 13 per cent of deaths in the third wave, while the remaining three per cent were below 40.

Iqbal Chahal, the municipal commissioner, had revealed that 96 per cent of the 1,900 patients on oxygen beds in 186 hospitals in Mumbai (mostly senior citizens) had not even taken the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The third wave began on December 21 and peaked on January 7 with nearly 21,000 cases. More than 10 million people in Mumbai have received both doses of the vaccine.

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According to Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer at the BMC, vaccine hesitancy continues among many people. “We reached out to people from all sections of society in a phased manner and also bedridden patients,” she said. “But still, there are people unwilling to take the Covid vaccine despite several awareness campaigns. People should understand that Covid vaccines will reduce the severity of infection.”

Data reveals that only six per cent of Covid deaths were among those fully vaccinated, while the rest were among the unvaccinated. Dr Avinash Supe, who heads the Covid-19 death audit committee, said that the massive vaccination campaign in Mumbai had brought down the death count. According to him, senior citizens will continue to account for the maximum number of deaths because of comorbidities.