Latest NYC data shows 14 people died from coronavirus with no underlying conditions

The vast majority of people who have died from the COVID-19 coronavirus in New York had underlying health conditions, according to the latest data released by officials.

The data, updated as of Wednesday, showed that only 14 of the 1,139 people who have died from coronavirus had no underlying health conditions, although 336 cases were still pending further investigation into whether they had underlying conditions or not.

“Coronavirus deaths in NYC. Note the relatively low number of deaths from people with no underlying conditions. To me this (admittedly limited sample) suggests we should move as quickly as is prudent to a strategy that aims to isolate and protect the vulnerable,” tweeted US analyst Michael Doran.

While the elderly still making up the majority of the death toll in New York City with 268 aged between 65-74 and 553 aged 75 and over, 66 individuals aged 18-44 died from the disease. Out of the 66, at least two had no underlying conditions.

For months now, authorities have said that the elderly have remained the most at-risk age group amid the coronavirus pandemic. But more and more young people, many with no underlying conditions, are showing up at hospitals saying they have symptoms of COVID-19.

The latest data, released by the official website of the City of New York at 9:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, also showed that more men then women have died from the coronavirus.

A man wears personal protective equipment (PPE) as he walks on First Avenue, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in New York City, U.S., March 31, 2020. (Reuters)

New York City is approaching April 5, the date set by Mayor Bill de Blasio as the “demarcation line” in the city’s fight against the coronavirus.

In the wider New York state, officials are scrambling to add more hospital beds and equipment as authorities anticipate a hike in the infection rates in the coming weeks and as more testing kits become available.

Last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said his state is working to rapidly increase its number of hospital beds from 53,000 to 140,000 to cater to the number of infected patients it estimates it will see in the coming weeks. Specifically, Cuomo said that New York is in need of 40,000 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds but only has 3,000 beds at the current time.

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