This is more than double that of the previous week, where 14 people died. The week before that, the number was 12. What is the cause of this substantial increase? Why have almost a third of hospitalised patients died?
The main reason of the rise in deaths is the steep increase in infections during the previous weeks, says Dr. Françoise Berthet, deputy director of the Health Directorate. There is always a delay between the rise of infections and the subsequent rise in hospitalisations and deaths, she explains.
The death rate has actually decreased from the first wave in spring, where 2.12% of infected people died, compared with only 0.48% now. One reason is that with more experience, doctors are better at treating the disease by now. The average age of those dying is 84 years. Just under a third of victims did not die in hospital.
This, too, is due to better treatment options, allowing more patients to remain at home or in a nursing or retirement home than at the beginning of the pandemic. This also means some people can die at home if they wish. But even if older patients are most often treated in care homes at this point, the option of hospitalisation and intensive care remains. The right course of action is always decided between the patient, their family and medical team. Patients who have a chance of
recovery receive all necessary care.
But the fact remains: reducing the number fatalities is only possible by reducing infection numbers. This means every one of us has their responsibility in respecting the Covid protection and distancing measures.
