DATA RELEASED BY the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows that from the beginning of the pandemic until February 2022, Covid-19 was identified as the Underlying Cause of Death (UCOD) in 5,384 cases.

Four in five deaths from Covid-19 had at least three medical conditions mentioned on the death record with 4.2 conditions being the average per person according to data released today.

The largest number of accompanying conditions of Covid-19 deaths were diseases of the respiratory system, which were reported in 5,279 (or 98%) of Covid-19 deaths.

Pneumonia was certified as a condition in 3,023 (or 56%) of Covid-19 deaths.

Dementia was reported on the death certificate of 1,041 people who died of Covid-19 (or 19%)

Chronic lower respiratory diseases were stated on 948 (or 18%) death certificates, of which 714 (or 13%) had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

From February until Wednesday 10 August there have been another 2,359 deaths from Covid-19 according to the Government’s Covid-19 Data Hub, although this figure is provisional and includes probable deaths.

91% of Covid-19 deaths occurred in persons aged 65 and over; 75% in persons aged 75 and over; and 42% in persons aged 85 and over.

Commenting on the release, Gerard Doolan, statistician in the CSO’s vital statistics division, said:

“The figures of deaths by condition do not represent the actual number of deaths from Covid-19.”

“Also, a death due to Covid-19 differs from a death with Covid-19, in that Covid-19 is identified as the main UCOD in those who died due to Covid-19, while it is one of a number of conditions listed in deaths certified as a death with Covid-19. The total number of Covid-19 deaths included in this analysis is 5,384 deaths.”

“Looking at the data, we can see that a total of 183 deaths (or 3.4%) reported Covid-19 as the single cause of death, whereas, 5,201 (or almost 97%) Covid-19 deaths were certified as having had Covid-19 and at least one other medical condition on the death certificate.”

In deaths between March 2020 and February 2022, Covid-19 was reported as a medical condition in 6,255 cases but identified as the UCOD in just 5,384 cases.

Hypertension, Chronic ischaemic heart disease, Malignant neoplasms, Diabetes mellitus, Atrial fibrillation and flutter and Heart failure were also common conditions suffered by people who died with Covid-19 as the UCOD.