Press Release 12/02/2024

DEATH STATISTICS III/2023

Deaths decreased by 15.6% in the third quarter of 2023 in the Basque Country

This drop was concentrated in July, when deaths decreased by 30.9%

In the third quarter of 2023, the number of deaths in the Basque Country stood at 5,099, down 15.6% on the same period of the previous year, according to Eustat data.

In August and September, deaths fell by 9.2% and 2.6%, respectively, in relation to the same months of the previous year, but of particular note was July, which saw a drop of 30.9%. It is worth remembering that the number of deaths in the third quarter of 2022 was significantly high. If we compare data from the third quarter of 2023 with data from the same quarter of 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase of 2.8%.

COVID-19 caused a total of 121 deaths, 253 fewer than in the same quarter of 2022.

Deaths were down in all three provinces. There was a particularly significant fall of 18.1% in Bizkaia, with 2,735 deaths; in Álava, the drop stood at 14.2%, with 652 deaths; and in Gipuzkoa, the decrease in this quarter was 11.8%, with 1,712 deaths. By sex, 2,576 men and 2,523 women died, which was a decrease of 11.9% for men and 19% for women.

Amongst the deaths that occurred in this second quarter, 9 corresponded to children under 1 year of age (0.2%) and 91 to centenarians (1.8%), the majority of whom were women (83 women).

The main causes of death were tumours and circulatory system diseases, which caused the deaths of 1,519 and 1,158 individuals, respectively, which means that together they accounted for 52.5% of deaths. Diseases of the nervous system were the third cause of death resulting in 339 deaths (6.6%). COVID-19 was the main cause in 121 deaths (2.4%).

In this quarter, the main cause of death for both men and women was tumours, although the percentage of deaths due to tumours was higher among men, standing at 35.3%, while this percentage was 24.1% for women. Diseases of the circulatory system were the leading cause for 551 men and 607 women, 21.4% and 24.1%, respectively.

Population growth in the Basque Country in the third quarter of 2023 was negative, with a population decrease of 1,621. For this reason, the population fell in all three provinces: by 972 people in Bizkaia, 562 in Gipuzkoa and 87 in Álava.

There were 121 deaths due to COVID-19 in the third quarter of 2023, a decrease of almost 68%

COVID-19 caused a total of 121 deaths, 253 fewer than in the same quarter of 2022 (-67.6%). All these deaths were confirmed as being due to COVID-19; there were a further 36 deaths in which COVID-19 was among the certified causes of death, but without being the main cause.

By province, the highest figure corresponded to Bizkaia, with 82, followed by Gipuzkoa with 30 and Álava with 9. As regards the capitals, Bilbao stood out with 30 deaths caused by COVID-19, followed by San Sebastián with 11 and Vitoria-Gasteiz with 7. Other notable municipalities were Barakaldo, with 7 deaths, and Getxo with 6.

The number of deaths of women (61) exceeded those of men (60), while, by age, the most affected group was those aged over 80 years old, accounting for 78.5% of deaths due to COVID-19 (95 deaths).

The majority of these deaths occurred in Basque hospitals (81.8%, compared to 82.6% in the third quarter of 2022), followed by residential care homes (9.9%, 7.8% in the third quarter of 2022) and at home (8.3%, 9.6% in the third quarter of 2022).

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