Javier Arranz, spokesperson for the regional infectious diseases committee, said on Monday that an increasing number of younger people are being admitted to hospital with Covid. At present, he noted, there are two 38-year-old patients on the ward in Son Espases, while there is a 50-year-old patient in intensive care in Inca.
"In some cases, we have seen that obesity is a risk factor. Among younger people, this does seem to be significant in the development of more serious disease."
Over the past 14 days, incidence of new cases has been highest among the 16 to 29 age group. By contrast, Arranz noted, there has been a reduction in infections among the population over the age of 70, most of whom have been vaccinated. "The effectiveness of vaccination has been seen in studies in Israel where, as population groups were called, the incidence of cases, deaths and hospital admissions fell."
The spokesperson pointed out that no vaccine is 100% effective, which explains why some people over the age of 80 are being infected. The incidence among this age group is the lowest for all age groups, but over the past 14 days there has been incidence of 22.2 cases per 100,000.