Press Release 29/07/2021

DEATH STATISTICS. 2020

In 2020, 24,247 Basque Country residents died, 3,096 due to COVID-19

Deaths rose by 12.5% compared to the previous year

The number of deaths in the Basque Country was 24,247 in 2020, an increase of 12.5% compared to 2019, according to Eustat data. By province, the sharpest rise occurred in Álava, with an increase of 19.3%, followed by Gipuzkoa with 12.8% and Bizkaia with 10.7%.

In 2020 overall, there were 3,096 deaths where COVID-19 was the main cause, 12.8% of the total. These deaths were classified into 2 groups: those due to COVID-19 confirmed by a specific analysis, of which there were 2,775, and deaths probably due to COVID-19, which were cases not confirmed by analysis but where COVID-19 was the main cause of death on the medical report, of which there were 321.

By province, and in absolute terms, Bizkaia had the highest number of deaths due to COVID-19 (1,629), followed by Gipuzkoa (872) and Álava (595). Considering these deaths in relation to the total, in Álava, the percentage of deaths as a result of COVID-19 accounted for 18.2% of the total, in Bizkaia 12.3% and in Gipuzkoa 11.3%. As regards the capitals, Bilbao stood out with 626 deaths caused by COVID-19 (13.9%), followed by Vitoria-Gasteiz with 496 (20.3%) and San Sebastián with 252 (11.6%). Numbers were also notable in Barakaldo, Basauri and Getxo, with 161 (12.7%), 99 (17.9%) and 92 (11.6%) COVID-19 deaths, respectively.

The number of men who died due to COVID-19 was higher than that of women: 1,582 men compared to 1,514 women. In terms of age, 72.8% of deaths caused by COVID-19 corresponded to people over 80 years old.

Broken down by month, April saw the highest number of COVID-19 deaths (1,065), although the monthly evolution was different in each province in the various waves. In Álava, the highest number of deaths due to COVID-19 occurred in March and April, in Bizkaia, in April, September and December and in Gipuzkoa, in April and November.

There were a further 173 deaths in which COVID-19 was among the certified causes of death, but without being the main cause.

In terms of total deaths, the average age of people who died was 81, almost three years more than ten years ago

Considering the total number of deaths in 2020, there were 12,056 male deaths and 12,191 female deaths. The average age of people who died in 2020 was 81 years of age, whereas ten years previously, in 2010, the figure stood at 78.1, meaning that the average age has risen by 2.9 years over the course of the last decade.

The average age at death amongst men in 2020 was 77.8, whilst the average age amongst women stood at 84.2. In 2010, the average ages were 74.7 and 81.8, respectively. Thus, over the course of the last 10 years, the average age at death of men has increased by 3.2 years, and that of women by 2.3 years.

As regards child mortality, there were 39 deaths of children under one year of age in the Basque Country. Mortality amongst newborns, occurring within the first 28 days of life, registered 27 deaths, 4 of which were during the first 24 hours and another 13 in the first week. Within deaths amongst children below the age of 1, boys accounted for 56.4% of the total.

In 2020, 409 people died at the age of 100 or over (born in 1920 or before), of which 82.4% were women. The number of deaths amongst centenarians has increased by 31 in relation to 2019.

Population growth was negative in the three provinces

Population growth was negative, as there were 9,508 more deaths than births. There were negative balances in the three provinces: in Bizkaia it was 5,925 people, in Gipuzkoa it was 2,714, and in Álava 869.

Compared to the previous year, this negative balance rose by 54.8%, but almost all of this increase was due to the deaths caused by COVID-19, given that, if we subtracted these deaths, the negative population growth would stand at 6,412.

25.7% of deaths were due to tumours

25.7% of the deaths that occurred in 2020 (6,223 deaths) were the result of tumours, followed by deaths resulting from diseases of the circulatory system, which accounted for 23.1% of the total (5,611 deaths) and, in third place, by deaths resulting from COVID-19, with 12.8% (3,096). Mental and behavioural disorders were the fourth most common cause of death with 7.3% (1,774).

The cause of death continued to vary according to sex: amongst men, tumours caused more deaths than diseases of the circulatory system, whilst amongst women, the main cause of death was cardiovascular disease, followed by tumours. It is also worth noting that there was a higher percentage of women among deaths caused by mental and behavioural disorders, in contrast to that which occurred with those attributable to external causes, where there was a higher percentage of men.

Furthermore, the cause of death varied in accordance with age. Amongst those aged under one, the most frequent causes of death were illnesses originating in the perinatal period and congenital malformations; amongst those aged from 1 to 39, the majority of deaths were attributable to external causes, including accidents and suicides; amongst those aged between 40 and 79, tumours were the highest cause of death, whilst amongst those aged 80 years or over, it was diseases of the circulatory system.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press service: servicioprensa@eustat.es Tel.: 945 01 75 62