Press Release 10/02/2025
DEATH STATISTICS III/2024
Deaths increased by 2.1% in the third quarter of 2024 in the Basque Country
The biggest increase was in July, with a 15.8% rise
In the third quarter of 2024 the number of deaths in the Basque Country stood at 5,239, up 2.1% on the same period of the previous year, according to Eustat data. Deaths increased by 15.8% in July, while in August and September they recorded decreases of 2.1% and 6% respectively, compared to the same months of the previous year.
By province, deaths increased in Álava and Bizkaia and decreased in Gipuzkoa. There were 709 deaths in Álava, representing an increase of 8.6% and there were 2,832 in Bizkaia, 3% more than the same period of 2023. There were 1,698 deaths in Gipuzkoa, representing an increase of 1.7% this quarter. By sex, 2,631 women and 2,608 men died, which was an increase of 3.9% for women and 0.4% for men.
Amongst the deaths that occurred in this third quarter, 6 corresponded to children under 1 year of age (0.1%) and 90 to centenarians (1.7%).
Deaths by territory of residence, age, sex and month of death (1). 2024/III
| | III/2024 | II/2024 | III/2023 |
| | NO. | % | NO. | % | Increase % | NO. | % | Increase % |
| DEATHS | 5.239 | 100,0 | 5.367 | 100,0 | -2,4 | 5.130 | 100,0 | 2,1 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Territory of residence | | | | | | | | |
| Araba / Álava | 709 | 13,5 | 771 | 14,4 | -8,0 | 653 | 12,7 | 8,6 |
| Bizkaia | 2.832 | 54,1 | 2.864 | 53,4 | -1,1 | 2.749 | 53,6 | 3,0 |
| Gipuzkoa | 1.698 | 32,4 | 1.732 | 32,3 | -2,0 | 1.728 | 33,7 | -1,7 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Age | | | | | | | | |
| Under 1 years | 6 | 0,1 | 8 | 0,1 | -25,0 | 9 | 0,2 | -33,3 |
| 1-19 years | 7 | 0,1 | 6 | 0,1 | 16,7 | 5 | 0,1 | 40,0 |
| 20-39 years | 40 | 0,8 | 35 | 0,7 | 14,3 | 37 | 0,7 | 8,1 |
| 40-59 years | 300 | 5,7 | 304 | 5,7 | -1,3 | 309 | 6,0 | -2,9 |
| 60-79 years | 1.538 | 29,4 | 1.510 | 28,1 | 1,9 | 1.508 | 29,4 | 2,0 |
| 80-99 years | 3.258 | 62,2 | 3.404 | 63,4 | -4,3 | 3.171 | 61,8 | 2,7 |
| 100 or more years | 90 | 1,7 | 100 | 1,9 | -10,0 | 91 | 1,8 | -1,1 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Men | 2.608 | 100,0 | 2.637 | 100,0 | -1,1 | 2.598 | 100,0 | 0,4 |
| Under 1 years | 3 | 0,1 | 6 | 0,2 | -50,0 | 2 | 0,1 | 50,0 |
| 1-19 years | 4 | 0,2 | 4 | 0,2 | 0,0 | 3 | 0,2 | 33,3 |
| 20-39 years | 24 | 0,9 | 26 | 1,0 | -7,7 | 26 | 1,0 | -7,7 |
| 40-59 years | 194 | 7,4 | 191 | 7,2 | 1,6 | 206 | 7,9 | -5,8 |
| 60-79 years | 1.023 | 39,2 | 963 | 36,5 | 6,2 | 993 | 38,2 | 3,0 |
| 80-99 years | 1.345 | 51,6 | 1.430 | 54,2 | -5,9 | 1.360 | 52,3 | -1,1 |
| 100 or more years | 15 | 0,6 | 17 | 0,7 | -11,8 | 8 | 0,3 | 87,5 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Women | 2.631 | 100,0 | 2.730 | 100,0 | -3,6 | 2.532 | 100,0 | 3,9 |
| Under 1 years | 3 | 0,1 | 2 | 0,1 | 50,0 | 7 | 0,3 | -57,1 |
| 1-19 years | 3 | 0,1 | 2 | 0,1 | 50,0 | 2 | 0,1 | 50,0 |
| 20-39 years | 16 | 0,6 | 9 | 0,3 | 77,8 | 11 | 0,4 | 45,5 |
| 40-59 years | 106 | 4,0 | 113 | 4,1 | -6,2 | 103 | 4,1 | 2,9 |
| 60-79 years | 515 | 19,6 | 547 | 20,0 | -5,9 | 515 | 20,3 | 0,0 |
| 80-99 years | 1.913 | 72,7 | 1.974 | 72,3 | -3,1 | 1.811 | 71,5 | 5,6 |
| 100 or more years | 75 | 2,9 | 83 | 3,1 | -9,6 | 83 | 3,3 | -9,6 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| MONTH OF DEATH | | | | | | | | |
| July | 1.852 | 35,3 | | | | 1.599 | 31,2 | 15,8 |
| August | 1.733 | 33,1 | | | | 1.771 | 34,5 | -2,1 |
| September | 1.654 | 31,6 | | | | 1.760 | 34,3 | -6,0 |
| (1)The data for the current and previous quarters are provisional. The variations are over the current quarter | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
Date Februay 10, 2025
Source: Eustat. Death statistics
Tumours and diseases of the circulatory system caused 53% of deaths
The main causes of death were tumours and diseases of the circulatory system, which caused the deaths of 1,509 and 1,267 individuals respectively, which means that between the two of them, they accounted for 53% of deaths. Diseases of the respiratory system were the third cause of death resulting in 372 deaths (7.1%). COVID-19 was the main cause in 78 deaths (1.5%).
The order of cause of death varied according to sex. Among men, tumours caused more deaths than diseases of the circulatory system, whilst among women the main cause of death was diseases of the circulatory system, followed by tumours in second place.
Deaths by cause of death and sex (1). 2024/III
| | III/2024 | II/2024 | III/2023 |
| | NO. | % | NO. | % | Increase % | NO. | % | Increase % |
| DEATHS | 5.239 | 100,0 | 5.367 | 100,0 | -2,4 | 5.130 | 100,0 | 2,1 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Cause of death | | | | | | | | |
| Total | | | | | | | | |
| Tumors | 1.509 | 28,8 | 1.613 | 30,1 | -6,4 | 1.533 | 29,9 | -1,6 |
| Circulatory system | 1.267 | 24,2 | 1.319 | 24,6 | -3,9 | 1.214 | 23,7 | 4,4 |
| Respiratory system | 372 | 7,1 | 393 | 7,3 | -5,3 | 305 | 5,9 | 22,0 |
| Nervous system | 317 | 6,0 | 361 | 6,7 | -12,2 | 345 | 6,7 | -8,1 |
| Digestive system | 265 | 5,1 | 249 | 4,6 | 6,4 | 235 | 4,6 | 12,8 |
| Other causes | 1.509 | 28,8 | 1.432 | 26,7 | 5,4 | 1.498 | 29,2 | 0,7 |
| COVID-19 confirmed | 78 | 1,5 | 64 | 1,2 | 21,9 | 122 | 2,4 | -36,1 |
| COVID-19 probable | 0 | 0,0 | 0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0 | 0,0 | 0,0 |
| Other causes | 1.431 | 27,3 | 1.368 | 25,5 | 4,6 | 1.376 | 26,8 | 4,0 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Men | | | | | | | | |
| Tumors | 884 | 33,9 | 953 | 36,1 | -7,2 | 923 | 35,5 | -4,2 |
| Circulatory system | 624 | 23,9 | 624 | 23,7 | 0,0 | 592 | 22,8 | 5,4 |
| Respiratory system | 185 | 7,1 | 205 | 7,8 | -9,8 | 170 | 6,5 | 8,8 |
| Nervous system | 118 | 4,5 | 158 | 6,0 | -25,3 | 140 | 5,4 | -15,7 |
| Digestive system | 127 | 4,9 | 113 | 4,3 | 12,4 | 137 | 5,3 | -7,3 |
| Other causes | 670 | 25,7 | 584 | 22,1 | 14,7 | 636 | 24,5 | 5,3 |
| COVID-19 confirmed | 44 | 1,7 | 31 | 1,1 | 41,9 | 60 | 2,3 | -26,7 |
| COVID-19 probable | 0 | 0,0 | 0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0 | 0,0 | 0,0 |
| Other causes | 626 | 24,0 | 553 | 21,0 | 13,2 | 576 | 22,2 | 8,7 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Women | | | | | | | | |
| Tumors | 625 | 23,8 | 660 | 24,2 | -5,3 | 610 | 24,1 | 2,5 |
| Circulatory system | 643 | 24,4 | 695 | 25,5 | -7,5 | 622 | 24,6 | 3,4 |
| Respiratory system | 187 | 7,1 | 188 | 6,9 | -0,5 | 135 | 5,3 | 38,5 |
| Nervous system | 199 | 7,6 | 203 | 7,4 | -2,0 | 205 | 8,1 | -2,9 |
| Digestive system | 138 | 5,2 | 136 | 5,0 | 1,5 | 98 | 3,9 | 40,8 |
| Other causes | 839 | 31,9 | 848 | 31,1 | -1,1 | 862 | 34,0 | -2,7 |
| COVID-19 confirmed | 34 | 1,3 | 33 | 1,2 | 3,0 | 62 | 2,4 | -45,2 |
| COVID-19 probable | 0 | 0,0 | 0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0 | 0,0 | 0,0 |
| Other causes | 805 | 30,6 | 815 | 29,9 | -1,2 | 800 | 31,6 | 0,6 |
| (1)The data for the current quarter is provisional. The variations are over the current quarter | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
Date Februay 10, 2025
Source: Eustat. Death statistics
Population growth was negative in all three provinces
Population growth in the Basque Country was negative in the third quarter of 2024, since the number of deaths exceeded the number of births by 1,962. For this reason, the population fell in all three provinces: by 1,149 people in Bizkaia, 634 in Gipuzkoa and 179 in Álava.
COVID-19 caused a total of 78 deaths, 44 fewer than the same quarter of 2023. All these deaths were confirmed as being due to COVID-19; there were a further 19 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 48 deaths, followed by Gipuzkoa with 20 and Álava with 10. As regards the capitals, Bilbao stands out with 20 deaths caused by COVID-19, followed by Vitoria-Gasteiz with 9 and Donostia/San Sebastián with 5.
The number of deaths of men (44) exceeded those of women (34), while, by age, the most affected group was those older than 80 years old, where 82.1% of deaths from COVID-19 were caused (64 deaths).
The majority of these deaths occurred in Basque hospitals (91%, 82% in the third quarter of 2023), followed by at home (6.4%, 8.2% in the second quarter of 2023) and residential care homes (2.6%, 9.8% in the third quarter of 2023).
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