Those aged 70 or older account for 80% of patients who have died from COVID-19, the disease arising from infection with the new coronavirus, according to a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry survey based on age groups that was released Monday.
The ministry called on the public to avoid the "three Cs" -- closed spaces, crowded places and close contact -- where infections spread easily, in addition to thorough handwashing.
According to the ministry, as of 6 p.m. Sunday, of the 102 people who have died, the largest proportion was 37 people in their 70s, followed by 36 in their 80s and 11 who were 90 or older. Between two and nine people were in their 40s to 60s, and no patients under 40 had died.
The number of patients who were seriously ill were also sorted into age groups, as were those infected with the virus. Out of 135 seriously ill patients, 39 were in their 60s, 32 were in their 70s, and 26 were in their 50s.
Most of the 7,121 infected people are relatively young. The about 1,200 people who were carriers were in their 20s to their 50s, exceeding the 809 in their 60s and the 649 in their 70s.
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