Disparities in Excess Mortality

Figures present excess deaths associated with COVID-19 at the national and state levels.

On this page we provide an overview of excess mortality along with charts to explore the data. You can learn in more depth about different measures of excess mortality, their strengths and limitations, and their comparability across countries in our work with John Muellbauer and Janine Aron.

A new analysis estimates that hospital strain during the pandemic is linked to thousands of ensuing excess deaths, signaling the significance of ensuring hospitals do not reach full capacity amid COVID-19 surges.

Minnesota has become one of the country's worst hotspots for new COVID-19 infections. Hospital beds are filling up with unvaccinated people, and staffers are being worn down by the surge.

This study updates an analysis of US mortality in 2020, including deaths due to COVID-19 as well as all other causes.

Objective To estimate the direct and indirect effects of the covid-19 pandemic on mortality in 2020 in 29 high income countries with reliable and complete age and sex disaggregated mortality data. Design Time series study of high income countries. Setting Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, England and Wales, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and United States. Participants Mortality data from the Short-term Mortality Fluctuations data series of the Human Mortality Database for 2016-20, harmonised and disaggregated by age and sex. Interventions Covid-19 pandemic and associated policy measures. Main outcome measures Weekly excess deaths (observed deaths versus expected deaths predicted by model) in 2020, by sex and age (0-14, 15-64, 65-74, 75-84, and ≥85 years), estimated using an over-dispersed Poisson regression model that accounts for temporal trends and seasonal variability in mortality. Results An estimated 979 000 (95% confidence interval 954 000 to 1 001 000) excess deaths occurred in 2020 in the 29 high income countries analysed. All countries had excess deaths in 2020, except New Zealand, Norway, and Denmark. The five countries with the highest absolute number of excess deaths were the US (458 000, 454 000 to 461 000), Italy (89 100, 87 500 to 90 700), England and Wales (85 400, 83 900 to 86 800), Spain (84 100, 82 800 to 85 300), and Poland (60 100, 58 800 to 61 300). New Zealand had lower overall mortality than expected (−2500, −2900 to −2100). In many countries, the estimated number of excess deaths substantially exceeded the number of reported deaths from covid-19. The highest excess death rates (per 100 000) in men were in Lithuania (285, 259 to 311), Poland (191, 184 to 197), Spain (179, 174 to 184), Hungary (174, 161 to 188), and Italy (168, 163 to 173); the highest rates in women were in Lithuania (210, 185 to 234), Spain (180, 175 to 185), Hungary (169, 156 to 182), Slovenia (158, 132 to 184), and Belgium (151, 141 to 162). Little evidence was found of subsequent compensatory reductions following excess mortality. Conclusion Approximately one million excess deaths occurred in 2020 in these 29 high income countries. Age standardised excess death rates were higher in men than women in almost all countries. Excess deaths substantially exceeded reported deaths from covid-19 in many countries, indicating that determining the full impact of the pandemic on mortality requires assessment of excess deaths. Many countries had lower deaths than expected in children 15 years. Sex inequality in mortality widened further in most countries in 2020.

A detailed analysis suggests that COVID deaths and other pandemic-related mortality may have been significantly undercounted in the rural South and West

(2021). Ethnic disparities in health & social care workers’ exposure, protection, and clinical management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Critical Public Health. Ahead of Print.

Racial and ethnic disparities for hospitalizations and ED visits related to COVID-19 persisted through the end of last year, according to two new MMWR reports. An analysis performed by Sebastian D. Romano, MPH, an associate service fellow at the CDC, and colleagues found that the proportion of COVID-19 hospitalizations has been highest among Hispanic or Latino patients, and that racial and

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Hispanic or Latino, non-Hispanic Black (Black), non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN), and non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (NH/PI) populations in the United States. These populations have experienced higher …

Our daily estimate of excess deaths around the world | Graphic detail

Its daily toll of excess deaths is greater than in all other high-income countries combined | Graphic detail

Our daily estimate of excess deaths around the world | Graphic detail

The 177-year-old British magazine created a model that uses machine learning to estimate what’s known as “excess deaths.”

The official US death count for COVID-19 has now surpassed 650,000, but the true death toll is likely much higher.

Mississippi now leads the nation in COVID-19 deaths per 100,000, usurping New Jersey, an early pandemic hotspot that until last week had held the title for 15 months. The Magnolia State claimed the unenviable title following a month in which the delta variant surge pushed hospitals to the point of collapse with coronavirus patient levels at all-time highs for both children and adults.

A recent study examines COVID-19's hidden death toll. The authors conclude that 1 in 5 excess deaths in the United States in 2020 were related to COVID-19.

Panhandle COVID-19 case levels aren’t letting up as health officials reported more than 360 cases during Panhandle Public Health District’s weekly briefing.

The Economist's model to estimate excess deaths to the covid-19 pandemic - GitHub - TheEconomist/covid-19-the-economist-global-excess-deaths-model: The Economist's model to estimate...

A lack of testing is the main reason, but there is a better way to gauge the real cost | The Economist explains