COVID-19’s horror toll on young Victorians
Coronavirus is not just an old person’s virus. Melbourne hospitals are seeing much younger patients in this second wave who need far longer treatment than for other viruses, with one in four patients in ICU now aged under 50.
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One in four Victorian COVID-19 patients fighting for life in intensive care are aged under 50, as a child and three teenagers also battle the virus in hospital.
Melbourne specialists have warned that hospitals were seeing more younger patients who require far longer treatment than is typical for other viruses, amid increased community transmission during the second wave.
A comprehensive and disturbing snapshot of Melbourne hospital admissions shows almost 20 per cent of coronavirus patients are aged under 50, and almost 30 per cent are under 60.
The trend is even worse among the most ill, with nine of the 36 intensive care patients on Monday aged under 50, and 16 under 60.
A report provided to the Herald Sun reveals COVID-19 patients being treated in Melbourne’s hospitals on Monday included a child under nine; three teenagers; five people in their 20s; nine in their 30s; 16 in their 40s; and 18 in their 50s.
Western Health head of infectious diseases Marion Kainer said she was treating increasingly younger coronavirus patients.
It comes as local and international data shows victims suffer damage to their lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, heart, severe inflammation and even strokes.
“Even if you don’t require ICU admission, young people are still getting very sick and having long-term consequences – at least three to four months outside the acute illness,” Dr Kainer said.
“As a clinician, I don’t think I have seen a virus that has such a massive spectrum of clinical presentations from people who have absolutely no symptoms to having just absolutely devastating disease and everything in between.
“We are seeing people who are completely young and healthy, who have no other conditions at all and are really athletic, get desperately ill.”
New Department of Health and Human Services data reveals people in their 20s account for a quarter of the state’s coronavirus cases since the start of July, while those in their 60s represent just 6 per cent of cases.
At the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the average age of a coronavirus patient needing intensive care is now just 62.
RMH interim chief operating officer Chris MacIsaac said hospitals were treating a different cohort of patients than during the first wave.
He said a large proportion of ICU cases require ventilators and typically stay for seven to 10 days, double the typical time a patient needs for other conditions.
“The staff are all feeling concerned about the community spread numbers, because we know there is a lag time between diagnosis and hospital presentation,” Associate Professor MacIsaac said.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said it was a concern young Victorians were catching and spreading coronavirus more than anyone else.
“While young people might only suffer mild symptoms and recover quickly, there is growing evidence of significant long-term impacts,” she said.