DOH: Below 1-year-old age group has 3rd highest mortality rate in Davao Region

Photo credit to Pixabay
Photo credit to Pixabay

TWENTY infants aged less than one year old were among the youngest casualties who succumbed to Covid-19 since the pandemic hit Davao Region in March 2020, according to the Department of Health-Davao Region as of August 21, 2021.

Based on the DOH breakdown of death cases by age group, the 20 deaths belong to the 423 children ages below one year old who tested positive for coronavirus.

The case fatality rate of the one year and below age group was at 4.7 percent, the third-highest fatality rate in the region.

Data also showed that a total of 2,924 children aged zero to nine years old had tested positive for the virus, wherein 15 died from the disease. The case fatality rate was at 0.5 percent.

For ages 10 to 19 years old, 6,114 tested positive, wherein 23 died from Covid-19, with a fatality rate of 0.4 percent.

SunStar Davao asked DOH-Davao during a virtual presser on Monday on the health status of the minors who succumbed to the virus with existing medical conditions.

Yasmin Mandangan, DOH-Davao Health Education and Promotion officer, said some of them have pre-existing comorbidities, but they have yet to get the exact breakdown from the Regional Surveillance Unit.

Mandangan was also not able to elaborate if these infants were infected by anyone from the household.

The national government has not approved the recommendation to include minors in the vaccination rollout.

Dr. Raquel Montejo, DOH-Davao Local Health Support Division chief, encouraged breastfeeding mothers to be inoculated and transfer the benefit of the Covid-19 vaccine to their babies.

She said nursing mothers who received a Covid-19 vaccine can develop antibodies and may pass it on to their babies through breastfeeding.

Montejo emphasized the importance of mothers getting vaccinated to protect their babies, who are considered vulnerable to the disease.

“Importante po 'yun. Although may threat tayo sa Covid-19, importante pa rin, the best way of preventing sa ating other diseases is breastfeeding, hindi lang sa Covid[-19],” Montejo said.

(It is important. One of the best ways we can prevent our babies from getting sick is through breastfeeding.)

The Philippine Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Pidsog) also recommended Covid-19 vaccination for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

The age group of 60 and above remains to have the highest mortality rate at 14 percent (1,089 total deaths). The 50 to 59 age group is second with 5.7 percent (434 deaths).

DOH previously said seniors are the most vulnerable to the Covid-19 virus. This was the reason why they were categorized as the Priority A2 group in the vaccination rollout.

For ages 50 to 59, a total of 7,598 tested positive, while 7,761 tested positive for ages 60 and above.

Meanwhile, Montejo said Monday based on the data, ages 20 to 29 or the working class group remained the highest number of positive patients with 15,410, wherein 52 succumbed to the virus.

"Ibig sabihin, ito yung mga age group... nagtatrabaho na or they are out of their homes. It's either na meron silang business or nasa establishment sila working," Montejo said during the DOH-Davao virtual presser.

(This means they are the age group that is working or they are out of their homes. It's either they go out for business, or they are working at the establishment.)

Meanwhile, 13,481 individuals who tested positive are from the 30 to 39 age group, 119 succumbed to the virus. For ages 40 to 49, a total of 9,079 tested positive, with 228 patients dead.

A total of 26 cases have yet to be validated.

Overall, as of August 21, Davao Region had a total of 56,822 confirmed Covid-19 cases, most of whom were asymptomatic. The region also recorded 2,016 deaths or a fatality rate of 3.5 percent.

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