ILOILO City – Since the start of the pandemic last year, 16 children below 10 years old already died of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas.
According to Dr. Daphynie Teorima, medical officer III and spokesperson of the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6, this is 0.7 percent of the total 2,330 cumulative COVID-19 death toll in the region.
The COVID deaths among children included five infants aging less than one-year-old (approximately 0.2 percent of the total deaths).
Meanwhile, 64.78 percent of the total deaths in the region were senior citizens.
“Ang mga seniors man gihapon ang pinaka-at risk for COVID severity and deaths that’s why sila ang aton priority after sa mga health workers for vaccination,” said Teorima.
Meanwhile, of the 10,973 active coronavirus cases in the region (as of Aug. 20), 2,196 belonged to the 21 to 30 years old age group.
Senior citizens over 60 years old came in second with 2,058 or around 20 percent of the active cases in the region; 51-60 years old with 1,405; and 31 to 40 years old with 1,393.
Meantime, six percent of the total active cases in the region were children less than 10 years old including infants which was 0.65 percent of the total active cases./PN
