In the Netherlands, more than 19,000 people died from Covid-19 last year. This is evident from figures published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on Thursday. Six in ten corona deaths were older than eighty. Almost half received long-term and intensive care. The figures on causes of death are based on the cause of death statements from a doctor, which Statistics Netherlands receives from the municipality where someone has died.
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In 2021, more than 170,000 people died in the Netherlands. This meant that there was excess mortality: the number of people who died was 10 percent higher than the expected number (an average of about 150,000 per year).
About 11 percent of all deaths in the Netherlands died of Covid-19 last year. By way of comparison: in 2020, the last year for which Statistics Netherlands has fully analyzed the causes of death, more than a quarter of deaths were attributable to cancer, and slightly less than a quarter to cardiovascular disease.
Of the corona deaths of 2021, more than 90 percent were older than 65 years. More than 60 percent were over-80s. Half of the corona deaths fell under the Long-term Care Act, which is intended for people who constantly need intensive care in the vicinity. This often concerns the chronically ill, frail elderly and people with a serious mental or physical disability.
According to the CBS figures, the excess mortality in 2021 is largely caused by Covid-19. Only from the end of August to December was the excess mortality (about 11,000) higher than the number of corona deaths (almost 8,000). Other causes of death – for example delayed care or other viruses – may play a role in this. In total, the corona virus in the Netherlands claimed almost 40,000 fatalities in 2020 and 2021, according to CBS.