Over 80 per cent COVID-19 patients in India are aged below 60 years

New Delhi : The number of coronavirus cases in India is growing with a steady rate, total tally of infected patients crossed 3000-mark on Saturday.

While this has been a perception that coronavirus mainly affects the older people, it has been seen that more than 80 per cent of the patients in India are aged below 60 years. Only 17 per cent of the patients in India are in the age group above 60.

The majority of people (41%) infected with COVID-19 belong to the age group of 21-40 years, according to health ministry.

The majority of patients in the age group of 21-40 are foreign traveller and Indians who returned from international holiday, major source of coronavirus carriers in the nation.

However, the mortality rate is higher among the elder people. Reports of deaths so far indicate that age with accompanying conditions (co-morbidities) like diabetes, cardiac diseases and hypertension increase mortality.

The health ministry did not disclose the age group of people who died due to coronavirus in India.