It is a disturbing first. During the press briefing on Thursday evening on the evolution of the coronavirus epidemic, the Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon mentioned "the death of a 16-year-old girl", among the 365 deaths that have occurred in recent 24 hours in French hospitals. The number 2 of the ministry simply indicated that the teenager had died “in Ile-de-France”, one of the regions most affected. Pressured by journalists to give details, the DGS took refuge behind medical confidentiality.
VIDEO. Coronavirus: 365 deaths on March 26, including a 16-year-old girl
"You will obviously understand that I cannot give more details. Jérôme Salomon added, however, that he had made this information public for the sake of transparency, before recalling that a death from the coronavirus at this age is "extremely rare". It was not said if this young girl suffered from comorbidities, that is to say from other pathologies which would have weakened her. Even if rare, deaths of adolescents and young adults can happen. In the UK, a 21-year-old woman died on Tuesday of the disease, but it remains unclear whether she suffered from other health problems.
"Young and old alike must take precautions"
“A death at 16 from Covid-19 is exceptional. We know that this happens from time to time with other viral epidemics, such as the flu. In our infectious disease departments, for the coronavirus, we sometimes see people in their forties, but not young people. In any case not for the moment, ”comments Professor Jean-Daniel Lelièvre, head of the infectious diseases department at the Henri-Mondor hospital in Créteil (Val-de-Marne).
Is SARS-CoV-2 mutating and evolving? "We don't know if Chinese scientists have really told us everything about the virus. We have to learn as we go. One thing is certain, young people, like the not so young, must take their precautions and stay confined, it is the safest, "he adds.
