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Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
National
Ian Johnson

Coronavirus: The tragic number of 'young and healthy' people who died from Covid-19

Three dozen young and 'healthy' people in England have died from Covid-19.

The 36 victims, all aged under 40, had no underlying health conditions.

The youngest was a 13-day-old baby. Another was Northumberland NHS nurse Rebecca Mack.

The 29-year-old, who had been a children's nurse at Newcastle's Royal Victorian Infirmary, died in April.

Paying tribute, her mum Marion praised her "absolutely wonderful daughter", adding: "She was just the light of our lives".

However NHS data up to June 16 shows tragedies such as Rebecca's death are rare.

Just one in every 781 coronavirus hospital deaths in England has been a young and 'healthy' adult.

Nationally, over 90% of victims are aged over 60, with the vast majority of those suffering with ill health.

However, official data shows that at least 224 people in England, aged under 40, have died after catching the virus.

Of those, 188 had a pre-existing condition. These can include heart and lung diseases, as well as cancer.

A total of 18 children and teenagers have died after catching the virus. All but three had underlying conditions.

To date, the virus has claimed 42,646 British lives. Many of those have been outside of hospitals, in places such as care homes.

Despite the grim death toll, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced further relaxations of the lockdown on Tuesday as the UK death rate continues to slowly decline.

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