WHO warns hospitalisations of 15-49-year-olds infected with Covid-19 increasing

The average age of people infected with Covid-19 is coming down, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) expert, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove.

She has told a social media webcast that incidences of hospitalisation among those aged 15 to 49 years are increasing.

She also said it was possible for the same person to be infected with influenza and Covid-19, adding that the WHO was looking into the prevalence of that.

“We are starting to see worrying trends in some countries,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead for COVID-19, added during a social media webcast.

“We are seeing increases in hospitalisations, in intensive care units, particularly in Spain, France, Montenegro, Ukraine and some states of the United States. That is worrying because we have not seen the flu season yet.

Appearing alongside her, Dr Mike Ryan said the flu season in the southern hemisphere had been relatively light, though he stressed it could easily worsen. “It may offer some hope in the north”, but there is no guarantee, he said.

Ryan said we were seeing a “stabilisation” in South America, though numbers were still high, and a “stable pattern” in Africa. The virus is still taking a heavy toll and we do not yet know its full effects, he said.