At least 84 persons 45-years-old and younger have died from COVID-19 in Guyana since the emergence of the virus in the country. In 2020 at least 28 persons 45-years-old and younger died while, for 2021, 56 persons within the same age range died as of August 20, 2021.
The total represents approximately 14.21 percent of the total deaths thus far, which stood at 591 as of August 20, 2021.
There have been five child deaths from COVID-19 in Guyana. Child deaths from the virus in the previous year have included a 6-day-old baby from Region Three and an 11-year-old child from Region Four both in November 2020.
Meanwhile, for this year, children that have had COVID-19 influenced deaths include a 17-year-old from Region Four in May 2021; a 16-year-old in July 2021 who had a form of cancer and a 17-year-old in August.
Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr.Carissa F. Etienne stated in May that hospitalizations and deaths of younger people are surging as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates across the Americas.
“Adults of all ages – including young people – are becoming seriously ill. Many of them are dying,” Dr. Etienne said.
“In Brazil, mortality rates have doubled among those younger than 39, quadrupled among those in their 40s…this is tragic, and the consequences are dire for our families, our societies and our future.”
In the initial phase of COVID-19 in Guyana in 2020, data was not always forthcoming. However, information gathered from the Ministry of Health indicates that other deaths by age included five persons in their 20s; 12 persons in their 30s; 21 persons in their 40s; 27 persons in their 50s; 33 persons in their 60s; 37 in their 70s; 20 in their 80s and three in their 90s.
For 2021, there were five persons in their 20s; 26 persons in their 30s; 36 persons in their 40s; 83 persons in their 50s; 114 in their 60s; 97 in their 70s; 52 in their 80s and 9 in their 90s.
Meanwhile, in Guyana, the oldest person to die to date was a 102-year-old female from Region Five in July.
When computed, most persons in Guyana in their 60s have died from the virus at approximately 147 or 24.87 percent of the total deaths. The next most prevalent deaths by age are 134 in their 70s; 110 in their 50s and 72 in their 80s.
PAHO experts have long identified people in their 60s and older as hardest hit and most susceptible to dying from the virus due to their age and greater likeliness of comorbidities.
