Covid-19 caused the second largest infection disaster in Switzerland, Sweden and Spain since 1918
A study of continuous monthly mortality data for more than 100 years in Switzerland, Sweden and Spain found that the number of deaths associated with the covid-19 pandemic reached higher peaks than most other periods of overdose since 1918. The results are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Switzerland, Sweden and Spain are particularly suited to an overtime perspective on excess mortality as they have reliable continuous data on death rates and were militarily neutral during both world wars. Historical data can help support planning and preparation for current and future pandemics.
In collaboration with the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, researchers from the universities of Zurich, Bern and Oslo estimated age-specific, monthly deaths from all causes for Switzerland, Sweden and Spain for 2020 to 2021 and other pandemic periods since the end of the 19th century in chronological order. The authors collected data on monthly deaths from all causes from each country’s statistics office and used annual data on population size and age structure to take into account demographic changes over time. After performing statistical analysis, the authors found that for all three countries, 2020 was the highest number of deaths since 1918. However, the number of deaths in 1918 was still estimated to be six to seven times higher than in 2020. The relative number of deaths in 2020 was 12.5 percent in Switzerland. 8.5 percent in Sweden and 17.3 percent in Spain.
According to the authors, the excess mortality rate in 2020 could have been even higher if it had not been for strong public health initiatives around the world.
Several deaths were estimated for ESRD patients during COVID-19
Kaspar Staub et al, Historically high excess mortality during the covid-19 pandemic in Switzerland, Sweden and Spain, Annals of Internal Medicine (2022). DOI: 10.7326 / M21-3824
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