Covid-19 Australia: Diabetes and obesity among underlying health conditions in coronavirus deaths

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has outlined the ‘underlying health conditions’ that are most likely to account for the deaths of young and middle-aged people with Covid.

Dr Chant on Friday said the State Coroner had reviewed the deaths of 28 people – all of them younger than 65 – who had died while infected with the virus between January 15 and 21.  

Of the 28 who died, 24 had health issues that ranged from asthma and obesity to life-threatening illnesses including heart disease and diabetes.

Ten had significant heart or valvular disease, six had chronic lung disease, six had kidney disease, two had significant rheumatological diseases and three with autoimmune diseases.

However, a considerable number of patients were living with less commonly fatal conditions – with six suffering from obesity, two living with asthma and seven with diabetes. 

Asthma, obesity and diabetes are among the several health conditions young people were living with before they died while infected with Covid in NSW (pictured, Sydneysiders running at Centennial Park)

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant revealed the deaths of 28 people who had died with Covid over the past week had been reviewed by the coroner

Dr Chant revealed half the victims were vaccinated, but 13 were not and one person had received only their first dose.

‘While over 90 per cent of the population and all of the aged cohorts have received two doses, almost half of the deaths are amongst younger people or occurring in those that are not vaccinated,’ she said.

‘So my key message is, if you are under 65, think that your health conditions are not severe or you can not have severe disease, think again.’

Authorities have also confirmed an eight-week old baby died from Covid-19. 

A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said the baby died in December, with the case referred to a coroner for investigation.

NSW reported 25,168 new cases and 46 deaths on Friday, a new deadliest day of the pandemic that brought the NSW death toll with Covid to 1024.

More than a quarter of the deaths have occurred in the last two weeks, during which 324 people died with COVID-19.

However case numbers were on the decline, with active cases falling by 24 per cent since Sunday to a two-week low of 259,132.

Dr Chant revealed 13 of the victims were not vaccinated with just one person receiving their first dose (pictured, Sydneysiders visiting a cafe)

Dr Chant said death rates would take some time to reflect that decline in case numbers.

‘There is a significant lag between cases being identified to when we see them get hospitalised, and then also flow through tragically, a small number, into deaths,’ she said.

‘That is the cycle and therefore in this outbreak as in previous outbreaks, we expect to see a lag of two or three weeks.’

Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett was encouraged by this week’s reduction in case numbers, with ‘promising’ signs the worst was over but said the wave would only decline gradually.

‘It’s really complicated because of the changes to testing protocols and availability of testing has been a problem,’ she said.

‘But all the indicators, while none of them are truly reliable and they’ve all shifted around… are looking good.’

However, the number of people becoming seriously ill and dying with the virus may not drop for weeks, she says.

Hospitalisations dropped again to 2743 on Friday, after falling for the first time since December 13 on Thursday.