Peru sees an increase in COVID-19 cases among young people, the age group leading the number of infections nationwide and in the Lima Metropolitan Area,
the Social Health Insurance System (EsSalud) revealed on Monday.
According to the Heat Map released by EsSalud, youth represented the largest weekly increase (17%) in cases during the second week of August, followed by adults (16%).
"In absolute terms, more than 16,000 children, 13,000 teenagers, 106,000 young people, 343,000 adults and 105,000 elderly people have been infected," said Dante Cersso, head of EsSalud's Intelligence and Data Analysis Unit (UIAD).
EsSalud's positivity rate by age group
The positivity rate indicates the percentage of people who test positive for the virus of those overall who have been tested.
According to Cersso, EsSalud's positivity rate stood at 31.24% between August 16 and 22.
"In children under 12 years, the rate was above the EsSalud's average, at 35.43%," he expressed.
The head of UIAD expects that the Government measures, as well as the awareness of parents and relatives, will help reduce the positivity rate in children in the coming weeks.
On the other hand, in the teenage group (12-17 years), the rate stood at 31.57%, while in the case of young people it was 28.1%. As for adults, the rate sat at 31.0%.
Finally, in the case of the elderly population, the positivity rate was 34.19%.
(END) NDP/RES/RMB/MVB
Published: 8/24/2020