Coronavirus: Most infections in August were among the under 50s

Health authorities recorded 9,017 new coronavirus infections between August 5 and 28 with the majority concerning people under the age of 50, according to data from the contact tracing unit.

Of the 9,017 cases, the unit managed to investigate 8,830; of those, 1,854, or 21 per cent, were people who said they had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. An additional 331 individuals had received the first dose. Forty-eight per cent were women.

Fifty-one of the fully vaccinated individuals had finished their jabs in January, 54 in February, 70 in March, 106 in April, 615 in May, 501 in June, 351 in July, and 99 in August.

The data showed that 72 per cent of the cases reported at least one symptom. Most people did not want to tell the unit where they contracted the virus while 3.5 per cent had travelled abroad.

The head of the unit Valentinos Sylvestros said the problem was mainly seen at care facilities, migrant reception centres, and army barracks.

The highest number of cases in July concerned youths between 15 and 18 – 4,373 – while 1,069 cases in the same age group were detected in August.

The number of children between zero and four infected with the coronavirus was 686 in July and 262 in August; 1,307 cases were reported in the five to nine age group in July and 354 in August.

Authorities also detected 1,867 infections in the 10 to 14 group in July and 592 in August.

Of 29,295 cases recorded in July, 356 concerned people between 70 and 74, 218 75 to 79, 125 80 to 84, and 118 concerned people over 85.

Of the 8,830 cases investigated between August 5 and August 28, 158 people belonged to the 70-74 age group, 117 were between 75 and 79, 79 were 80 to 84, and 62 were over 85.

In its report, the unit stressed the need for schools at all levels to prepare due to the large number of pupils and students who test positive daily.

The unit also called for a review of health protocols in migrant reception centres and army barracks where cases were recorded on a daily basis and suggested that visitor checks at hospitals and other facilities could be lacking.

It also recommended stricter SafePass checks in workplaces, especially office spaces.