More common for several weeks among those under 30, COVID-19 has just made its youngest victim in Quebec, a harsh reminder that this virus with many shadowy sides can strike at any age, experts point out.
Don Béni Kabangu Nsapu, 19, died last Sunday in intensive care at Pierre-Le Gardeur hospital in Terrebonne, swept away by COVID-19. The young man of Congolese origin had no known health problem, according to his father Alain Nsapu Lukinda, who spoke to some media.
For its part, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) confirms that a 19-year-old person died of complications related to the disease, but could not provide more details. “The law prohibits us from giving any information that could lead to the identification of a person or concerning a medical file,” said a spokesperson.
Don Béni Kabangu Nsapu is the first person under the age of 20 to succumb to the disease in Quebec. There have been no deaths in children aged 10 and under. Among the 20-29 year olds, three people have died from COVID-19. Of note: the death of the young man had not yet been compiled in the government’s balance sheet on Friday.
A crowdfunding campaign was launched in memory of the disappeared three days ago, to pay the costs of the funeral which must take place this Saturday. As of this writing, over $ 11,000 had been raised.
The death of such a young adult is “very disturbing[e] “And” very disturbing[e] », Reacted the Prime Minister Francois Legault during a press briefing in Bécancour. “Young people are not immune. Wearing the mask is serious. Obviously, I offer my condolences to the young man’s family. “
Good physical condition does not offer guaranteed protection against COVID-19, notes Dre Caroline Quach-Thanh, pediatrician and microbiologist-infectious disease specialist at CHU Sainte-Justine. The many testimonies reported in the press attest to this. In the United States for example, a hardened 40-year-old marathoner Ahmad Ayyad recently found himself in a coma for 25 days. Intubated, he came close to death.
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Elsewhere in the world, COVID-19 has caused its share of very young victims, continues the one who is also an epidemiologist. In March alone, this unpredictable virus had already claimed the life of a 12-year-old teenager in the United Kingdom and a 13-year-old girl in Belgium. The United States, the epicenter of the pandemic, has experienced the same phenomenon. “It highlights the fact that young people are not invincible,” she emphasizes, adding that the best way to guard against possible serious complications is to follow public health instructions.
In Quebec, the proportion of cases of contamination among young people under 30 compared to all reported cases has increased sharply since the 1is may. It went from 13.6% to 22.9%, according to figures from the National Institute of Public Health (INSPQ).
In the context, the chances of death necessarily increase, summarizes Caroline Quach-Thanh. Then to add: “There is a risk of mortality in all age groups, although it is significantly lower in young people than in older people. No risk does not exist. “
« [Ce décès d’un garçon de 19 ans] can serve as an alarm for those who do not take this virus seriously, ”observes Tatiana Scorza, immunologist and professor at UQAM, with particular reference to demonstrations against the wearing of compulsory masks.
Since the start of the pandemic, nearly 3,300 people between the ages of 10 and 19 have tested positive for COVID-19 across the province. Among them, 31 were hospitalized, and 6 ended up in intensive care, indicates the MSSS.
With The Canadian Press
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