The number of deaths of Slovakia was lower than the five-year average, 77 people died of COVID-19 infection in May

In May 2022, a more significant excess mortality was reflected only in the group of younger seniors aged 65 to 74 and in Trnavský and Prešovský kraj. Coronavirus was the eighth most common cause of death with almost 2% share.

In Slovakia, 4.2 thousand people died in May this year, which was slightly less (-1%) than the five-year average of 2015-2019, before the onset of a pandemic¹⁾. At the same time, it was the lowest number of deaths since June 2020. This follows from preliminary data on the number of deaths and causes of death in May 2022 published by the Statistical Office of the SR. The Office also adjusted the data for the first four months of this year.

The number of deaths was recorded below the average for the fifth month in a row in the age groups, in both pre-productive (up to 14 years) and productive age (from 15 to 64 years). But mortality¹⁾ was still slightly higher (by 2%) in the age group over 64 years, which is the most numerous of the three basic age groups in the structure of deaths. Seniors 65+ still accounted for more than three quarters of deaths (a total of 3.2 thousand people). Within this age group, differences continued to be recorded, younger seniors died in higher numbers (65-74); their excess mortality¹⁾ reached 11%.

"Thanks to the considerably improved epidemic situation during May, we recorded fewer deaths for the first time this year compared to the five-year average. It was caused mainly by the lower number of deaths in the two most common causes of death - in diseases of the circulatory system and tumors," said Zuzana Podmanická, Director of the Population Statistics Department of the SOSR.

Excess mortality was still reflected mainly in Trnavský and Prešovský kraj

Up to 6 of the eight regions of Slovakia recorded a lower or the same number of deaths respectively compared to the 5-year average. Only two regions recorded relatively higher excess mortality, namely Trnavský (+ 11%) and Prešovský kraj (+ 7%).

"Compared to April, the situation in the excess mortality rate improved in seven regions of Slovakia. It was mostly in Košický kraj, by almost 21 percentage points. The number of deaths of this region was currently 9% lower compared to the 5-year average," said Z. Podmanická.

Significantly lower number of deaths compared to the 5-year average¹⁾, namely by 9%, was reflected in Košický and Bratislavský kraj  and by 7% in  Žilinský kraj.

COVID-19 infection was the eighth most common cause of death in May

77 people died of COVID-19 infection in May, i.e. at least since August last year. With almost a 2% share of all deaths, coronavirus shifted among the causes that only slightly affected mortality in the long run, it was in the eighth place among 22 groups of diseases²⁾. During the first four months of this year, the coronavirus was in third or fourth place in the causes of death²⁾.

The most common cause of death of Slovakia was diseases of the circulatory system, accounting for up to 46% of all deaths (1.9 thousand people) in the fifth month. This was more than 5% less than the average for previous years¹⁾. On the positive side, this cause recorded a more significant lower mortality rate in the age group of productive age, so heart attacks and other heart failures were less common.

The second most common cause of death of the SR was cancer; in May, more than a thousand victims was registered. They accounted for 24% of all deaths. Since the beginning of this year, fewer people have died of them than the five-year average before the pandemic. In May, lower mortality within this group of causes of death represented almost 9%.

The first five most common causes²⁾ were supplemented by deaths due to diseases of the respiratory system (9%), digestive system (6%) and external causes of death (4%) in May.