MILAN (Reuters) – The median age of people infected with COVID-19 in Italy fell last week to 28, a record low, according to data released on Friday by national health authorities.
The median ages of patients’ first admission to hospital and entrance to intensive care units also fell to 50 and 63 years respectively, according to the data for the week starting July 5. The median age of deaths, however, was stable at 73.
“A lower age of those infected is due to the fact that older people have been vaccinated in greater numbers and earlier and are therefore better protected,” said Gianni Rezza, director general at the Ministry of Health.
Other European countries have reported the latest wave of coronavirus infections being driven by younger, unvaccinated adults.
The weekly monitoring results in Italy showed an increase in the number of cases and in the rate of epidemic risk, but at the same time a steady decrease in the occupancy rate of intensive care units and hospital admissions.
(Reporting by Emilio Parodi; Editing by Alex Richardson)
