Nearly 3.2 thousand COVID-19 deaths in November 2020

© Hollandse Hoogte
In November 2020, altogether 3,174 people died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This brings the total number of COVID-19 deaths from March through November 2020 to over 16 thousand. 13,497 deaths were caused by confirmed COVID-19 and 2,588 by suspected COVID-19. In November, there were 1,732 deaths among people receiving care under the Long-term Care act (Wlz). This is evident from the latest provisional figures on mortality, published today by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

CBS has been publishing mortality statistics on a weekly basis since 3 April 2020. The numbers are based on death records received daily by CBS from the municipalities. These records do not contain any information about the cause of death. Figures on causes of death are based on the cause-of-death certificates completed by an attending medical practitioner. CBS receives these certificates via the municipality where the death occurred. The figures presented today are based on 97.8 percent of all cause-of-death certificates received up to November 2020 inclusive. For more information: How CBS compiles mortality figures in times of corona.

Over 1,700 COVID-19 deaths among long-term care users in November

In November 2020, 1,738 long-term care recipients died of COVID-19. This is 552 more than in October. 9,289 of the 16,085 deaths caused by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 that were registered from March up to November inclusive were people who had been receiving care under the Long-term Care Act (Wlz), such as in a nursing home. In November, COVID-19 continued to be one of the main causes of death among long-term care recipients, accounting for 30 percent of mortality. The figures for the final weeks of 2020 will follow at a later stage, as soon as the cause-of-death certificates for December are complete.

Excess mortality entirely due to the novel coronavirus

In the first ten weeks of the second wave, i.e. in weeks 39 through 49 (21 September to 29 November inclusive), there were 4.4 thousand more deaths than expected. In this period, 5,458 people died from the novel coronavirus. Just as during the first wave of the pandemic, excess mortality was again entirely caused by COVID-19 deaths.

Data sources for CBS and RIVM

For the first ten weeks of the second pandemic wave (weeks 39 through 48, 21 September to 29 November 2020), the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reported 3,281 COVID-19 deaths based on data received from the municipal health services (GGD). In the same period, CBS registered 5,232 confirmed COVID-19 deaths based on cause-of-death certificates. In addition, there were 226 deaths from suspected COVID-19 as the underlying cause of death. Altogether, this is 5,458 COVID-19 deaths.

There are several explanations for the discrepancies between CBS and RIVM figures. Firstly, there may have been cause of death forms carrying the indication COVID-19 as the cause of death based on the clinical picture, but not confirmed by laboratory testing. These deaths are not included in the RIVM figures. Secondly, deaths which were confirmed cases of COVID-19 (and tested positive in the laboratory) may not have been (directly) reported as such to the GGD, partially because there is no reporting obligation for COVID-19 deaths. This means they are not included in the RIVM figures. Furthermore, reported mortality figures over previous periods are still subject to revision, due to more data on COVID-19 deaths over earlier periods that are received by RIVM at a later stage. CBS will update the figures on causes of death when these data have also been processed.

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