The number of deaths in August was the second lowest this year, but the COVID-19 infection increased again the share of deaths

In August 2022, the overall excess mortality rate in Slovakia was only moderate in August 2022, Banskobystrický kraj struggled with the highest number of deaths for the second month already. Fewer people than in the pre-pandemic years died from the two most common causes of death - diseases of the circulatory system and tumors. The number of victims of COVID-19 rose again, representing almost 3% of the total number of deaths and being the sixth most common cause of death.

Almost 4.4 thousand people died in Slovakia in August 2022, which was by 3.1% more people (130 people) than the value of the five-year average of 2015-2019 before the onset of the pandemic¹⁾. It was the second lowest number of deaths this year. This follows from preliminary data on the number of deaths and causes of death in August 2022 published by the Statistical Office of the SR. The Office also clarified the data for the first seven months of this year.

"The lower excess mortality rate compared to the 5-year average before the pandemic was influenced by the lower number of deaths from the two most common causes of death - diseases of the circulatory system and tumors. On the other hand, the higher number of deaths due to the COVID-19 infection, but also an approximately 50% increase in the number of deaths due to diseases of the respiratory system, urinary and genital systems, or infectious and parasitic diseases, prevented the August mortality rate from getting even closer to the pre-pandemic values," explained Zuzana Podmanická, the Director of the Department of Population Statistics of the SOSR.

In August, similarly as from the beginning of this year, fewer people of productive age (from 15 to 64 years) died than in the previous five years before the pandemic. Mortality continued to be higher¹⁾, by 10%, in the age group over 65, which is the most numerous of the three basic age groups in the structure of deaths. Seniors over 65 years of age, continued to make up more than three quarters of the total deaths (a total of 3.4 thousand people). Within this age group, younger seniors (65-74) died in a slightly higher number; their excess rate¹⁾ reached 13%.

For the second consecutive month, the situation deteriorated the most in Banskobystrický kraj, where the number of deaths in August increased by more than 14% above the average value of the last five years before the pandemic. Compared to July, the death rate deteriorated (slightly) in two regions of Slovakia, namely Prešovský and Trenčiansky kraj. The most significant improvement of the situation was recorded in Bratislavský kraj.

COVID-19 has once again risen in the list of the most common causes of death

In August, 129 people died as a result of the COVID-19 infection. Their number increased for the second consecutive month. With an almost 3% share in total mortality, it moved from the eighth to the sixth place among 22 groups of diseases²⁾. In June, it was the eleventh most common cause of death in Slovakia. The summer wave of the pandemic this year caused the highest number of deaths from COVID-19 during the two holiday months. During July and August 2022, 217 people died as a result of this infection, while in the first pandemic year (in 2020) there were only 12 and last year 31 people.

In the eight month of the year, the most common causes of death were diseases of the circulatory system, which represented 43% of deaths (almost 1.9 thousand people) and tumors for 24% (almost 1.1 thousand people). These two groups of deaths have long been among the most common causes of death. Compared to the average of the previous five years, almost by 3% fewer people died from diseases of the circulatory system in August. In case of tumors, there were by 9% fewer people than the five-year average before the pandemic.

In August, the first five most common causes²⁾ were completed by deaths from diseases of the respiratory system (9%), digestive system (6%) and external causes of death (4%).