COVID-19 death toll rises to 7,560 with 194 fatalities

Health officials on Sunday confirmed 194 COVID-19 deaths, which raised the country’s total COVID-19 death toll to 7,560.

The majority of the deaths are in the over 60 age group, accounting for 75.74% of the total COVID-19 fatalities, while 23.21% are between ages 30 and 59, and 1.05% below the age of 30.

On Sunday, the deaths of 145 persons over the age of 60 and 49 persons between ages 30 and 59 were confirmed.

The Department of Government Information states that 103 deaths confirmed on Sunday were female and 91 male. Of the total fatalities, 4,334 are male and 3,226 female.

Meanwhile, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) forensic pathologist Dr. Channa Perera yesterday revealed the results of post-mortem examinations carried out on the remains of 100 persons who died of COVID-19. “Of the post-mortem examinations, 30% died of COVID pneumonia and an even smaller percentage died of blood clot obstructions in the lungs,” he said.

According to Dr. Perera, a pneumonitis condition that occurs during the initial stages of the COVID-19 lung infection has been detected.

“We saw the pneumonitis condition that is a result of a complication of the virus that affects the alveoli, where the lung alveoli cells, which are type 1 pneumocytes and type 2 pneumocytes, are destroyed,” he said, explaining that the cells infiltrate the alveoli, causing hyaline membrane formation.

“This is the initial stage of the COVID-19 lung infection. This usually occurs five to seven days after infection and can later on develop into COVID pneumonia. Dr. Perera added that COVID pneumonia usually occurs because of a secondary bacterial infection.