3,480 COVID-19 deaths in Q1

In January 2022, the COVID-19 death toll stood at 1,004; in February it was 1,033 and in March 1,443. In the first quarter of 2022, COVID-19 was the confirmed cause of death in 8.1 percent of all deaths (3,480) in the first quarter. One year previously, in the first quarter of 2021, this was still 19 percent (8,964). Not only were more deaths due to COVID-19 at the time, but there was also excess mortality, which was not the case in 2022.
Of the 3,480 people who died of COVID-19 in the first quarter of this year, 62 percent were 80 years of age or older. Approximately 8 percent were people under the age of 65. Just as in previous periods, there were fewer female than male cases of COVID-19 mortality.

Rising COVID mortality among long-term care recipients

Among people receiving care under the Long-term Care Act (Wlz), including residents of nursing homes or institutions for the disabled, COVID-19 mortality rose as of the first week of the year. In that week, 6 percent of deaths among long-term care recipients were due to COVID-19. By the end of the first quarter, this had risen to 16 percent. The share of COVID-19 deaths among the rest of the population remained stable around 7 percent.

No excess mortality in the first quarter

As stated in previous CBS news releases reporting weekly mortality, there were no excess deaths in the first quarter. Mortality was lower than expected in both January and February, rising again slightly in March, but without any excess deaths. Mortality was elevated mainly among long-term care recipients and over-65s.

All other death causes: stable mortality

In the first quarter of 2022, COVID-19 mortality declined relative to the fourth quarter of 2021. There were no major changes in other cause-of-death categories. Some categories have shown seasonal fluctuations in mortality since 2015. For example, there are more deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in the winter period. The same pattern is found in mortality due to mental disorders and diseases of the nervous system, which include dementia and Alzheimer's disease for instance.

COVID-19 mortality figures

Figures on causes of death are based on the cause-of-death certificates completed by an attending medical practitioner. These figures are processed by CBS and published after four months. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Dutch government report the number of COVID-19 deaths on a weekly basis. This number is lower than what is reported by CBS at a later stage based on causes of death, due to the fact that there is no obligation to report COVID-19 deaths to RIVM. It is also possible that a medical practitioner establishes COVID-19 as the cause of death on the basis of the clinical picture without laboratory testing. CBS publishes weekly mortality figures, before information on causes of death becomes known.

From March 2020 to 31 March 2022 inclusive, based on data that were received from the municipal health services (GGD), RIVM reported 22,065 COVID-19 deaths (as at 21 July 2022). In the same period, based on cause-of-death certificates, CBS registered 43,245 deaths due to confirmed or suspected COVID-19.