83% of COVID patients who died in Delhi had co-morbidity: Kejriwal

New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said 83 per cent of patients who died due to coronavirus in the national capital had co-morbidity or other serious medical conditions like sugar, blood pressure, kidney disease or cancer.

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister also said that in 80 per cent of the deaths, the patients were above 50 years old.

“We have found that 83 per cent of patients who have died had co-morbidity which means serious medical conditions like sugar, blood pressure, kidney disease, cancer etc,” he said.

Kejriwal said the government has analysed the deaths due to COVID-19 in Delhi.

“We found that in 80 per cent of the cases the patients were above 50 years old and only 20 per cent were below 50 years. This shows that senior citizens are more at risk.”

So far, Delhi has reported 47 deaths related to coronavirus.

Kejriwal also said that the government will start COVID-19 testing for mediapersons from Wednesday.

“We have received reports that in many states the journalists were found positive with COVID-19. Journalists are working in the frontline in this extraordinary time and I salute their courage. This is the time when people need proper information and by risking their life journalists are working round the clock.”

From Wednesday, the government will open a centre where any journalist can visit for COVID-19 test.

“I wish no journalist will be found positive with COVID-19 and stay in good health,” said Kejriwal.

On the cases in Delhi, he said till Monday, there were 2,081 number of COVID-19 positive cases.

“As much as 431 people have recovered so far and went back home, 47 people have died and we have 1,603 active cases. On Monday, we collected 1,397 samples which means nearly 1,400 samples and only 78 cases were found positive,” said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal also said that to accommodate more people if the number of cases increases the Delhi government has also ordered 60 new ambulances.

Delhi’s COVID-19 patient count reached more than 2,150 on Tuesday.

–IANS

nks/kr