Baguio City recorded 91 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) deaths in just 17 days from Oct. 1-17 amid its efforts to control the surge in cases fueled by the Delta variant.
Data from the UP Baguio Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and the Baguio City Health Services Office showed that 22 of the fatalities belonged to the 50-59 years old age group and 21 from the 70-79 bracket.
The 60-69 group had 18 deaths; 80-89, 14 deaths; 40-49, nine deaths; 30-39, three; 90-99, two.
The 0-9 and 20-29 groups had one death each while the 10-19 had none.
Of the 91, 71 were unvaccinated while 17 were fully vaccinated, most of whom belonged to the 60-89 groups. Three were partially vaccinated.
The city recorded its highest number of COVID deaths in a month in September 2021 at 136.
In April and May during which the Alpha and Beta-driven surge occurred, the death tolls were 85 and 53, respectively.
The present Delta-propelled surge is the city’s fourth case peak after the Alpha and Beta-fueled swell and the first two case leaps in September 2020 and in January 2021 and it is considered the worst so far having surpassed the levels of all the past peaks on all accounts.
84% of covid-19 deaths from May to October unvaccinated
Unvaccinated persons comprised 84.11 percent of the city’s total number of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fatalities from May 1 to Oct. 17.
Latest data from the UP Baguio Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and the Baguio City Health Services Office indicated that 307 out of the 365 deaths recorded during said dates did not receive a single vaccine dose.
Forty-four or 12.05 percent were fully vaccinated, 13 or 3.56 percent were partially vaccinated and 1 or .27 percent were not eligible.
Of the 44 fully vaccinated, 16 were aged between 60-69 years; 11, 70-79; eight 80-89; five 50-59; two 40-49; and one 10-19.
Among the 307 unvaccinated, 68 of those who died came from the 50-59 age group; 64 from 70-79; 61 from 60-69; 42 from 80-89; 41 from 40-49; 16 from 30-39; and 8 from 90-99.
These data are consistent with health authorities’ warnings on the vulnerability of the unvaccinated persons, senior citizens and persons with underlying illnesses to the virus as almost all of those who perished were elderly and immunocompromised while majority were unvaccinated, according to Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
Health experts had advised people to avail of the vaccines to lessen the chances of contracting the virus or if still infected, decrease the chances of developing severe symptoms, getting hospitalized or dying from it.
Breakthrough deaths or deaths despite full vaccination happen because of factors like age and comorbidities which hamper some people’s ability to develop antibodies and immunity against the virus. — Aileen P. Refuerzo
