Mortality up in week 42

More recent figures are available on this topic. View the latest figures here.
Doctor visiting older man
© Hollandse Hoogte / Arie Kievit
The estimated number of deaths in week 42 (12 to 18 October inclusive) stands at more than 3,200. This is over 200 more than in the previous week, when there were 2,996 deaths. Mortality was elevated in week 42, with nearly 400 more deaths recorded than normally expected in this period. The elevated mortality coincides with the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic in the Netherlands. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this based on a provisional weekly death count.

Estimated mortality, 2020*
 DeathsEstimated mortalityEstimated mortality (95% interval)
1310332772908 – 3645
2336433112930 – 3692
3315733442945 – 3742
4304633923008 – 3776
5316234073027 – 3788
6319334012979 – 3823
7319934082916 – 3901
8295933872851 – 3922
9309733522805 – 3898
10310433152785 – 3845
11321732532756 – 3751
12361531742711 – 3637
13445931042703 – 3505
14508430242712 – 3337
15497929572719 – 3195
16430329152711 – 3120
17390728692677 – 3060
18337828412650 – 3032
19298628212633 – 3009
20277427942626 – 2962
21277027702620 – 2920
22272627532608 – 2898
23268227352591 – 2880
24269127372600 – 2875
25269427252594 – 2855
26265927172577 – 2857
27263627232544 – 2902
28261827192515 – 2923
29252627202507 – 2934
30267227072515 – 2900
31265926872492 – 2882
32263826822483 – 2881
33320626692481 – 2857
34284526632510 – 2815
35273126672526 – 2807
36267926762549 – 2804
37273326982564 – 2832
38271027292585 – 2873
39288127522618 – 2886
40298827862628 – 2943
41299628072655 – 2960
42322428392677 – 3001
4328622661 – 3063
4428892683 – 3095
4529022692 – 3111
4629322710 – 3155
4729722742 – 3202
4830122762 – 3263
4930372742 – 3332
5031002800 – 3399
5131662830 – 3501
5232222871 – 3573
* Provisional figures. Week 42 is an estimate.

Mainly more deaths among the elderly

In week 42, the estimated number of deaths among people aged 80 years and over was 1,800. This number stood at 1,647 in week 41, more or less the same as in week 40. In week 42, mortality was also up in the age group below 65 years, while it slightly declined among 65 to 79-year-olds.

The number of deaths among women fell in week 41 and went up again in week 42. Mortality among the male population increased in both weeks. The number of men and women who passed away in week 42 was virtually the same.

Table 1: Weekly mortality by age
PeriodAll ages0 to 64 yrs65 to 79 yrs80 yrs and over
2020, week 31*2,6593728411,446
2020, week 32*2,6384188201,400
2020, week 33*3,2064639281,815
2020, week 34*2,8454148581,573
2020, week 35*2,7313528631,516
2020, week 36*2,6794118251,443
2020, week 37*2,7333928921,449
2020, week 38*2,7103928401,478
2020, week 39*2,8813908741,617
2020, week 40*2,9884309081,650
2020, week 41*2,9963719781,647
2020, week 42*3,2244579501,817
* Provisional figures. Week 42 is an estimate.

More deaths among long-term care users and the rest of the population

Based on the estimate, mortality among both long-term care users and the rest of the population increased further in week 42. In weeks 40 and 41, it rose less steeply among people receiving care under the Long-term Care Act (Wlz), such as residents of nursing homes, than among the rest of the population.

Estimated mortality, 2020*
 Long-term care (Wlz) users, deathsLong-term care (Wlz) users, estimated mortalityLong-term care (Wlz) users, estimated mortality (95% interval)Other population, deathsOther population, estimated mortalityOther population, estimated mortality (95% interval)
1121012521052 – 1451189320251780 – 2270
2126512721076 – 1468209920391793 – 2285
3113512821086 – 1478202220621805 – 2319
4112513011113 – 1489192120911842 – 2339
5109813101118 – 1503206420971853 – 2341
6114213091099 – 1519205120921826 – 2358
7115513091069 – 1549204420991796 – 2403
8112912961044 – 1549183020911762 – 2419
9119512761005 – 1546190220761756 – 2396
1011641260989 – 1531194020561752 – 2359
1112001229950 – 1507201720251741 – 2308
1213351191928 – 1454228019831714 – 2252
1316561156912 – 1400280319481715 – 2180
1422121120915 – 1326287219041709 – 2100
1524091091910 – 1273257018661709 – 2022
1620661075912 – 1238223718401691 – 1990
1717161055898 – 1211219118141663 – 1965
1814291048900 – 1195194917931643 – 1944
1911861038897 – 1179180017831631 – 1935
2010311029902 – 1155174317651615 – 1915
2110691015892 – 1138170117551615 – 1895
2210041007887 – 1127172217461602 – 1890
23909995886 – 1104177317401585 – 1895
24958997888 – 1106173317401592 – 1889
25912989879 – 1099178217361585 – 1886
26940985864 – 1107171917321585 – 1879
27931992850 – 1134170517311567 – 1896
28911998849 – 1147170717211552 – 1890
299001003855 – 1152162617171555 – 1879
309571004854 – 1154171517041553 – 1855
31946997851 – 1143171316901540 – 1840
32904993846 – 1140173416901546 – 1834
331311987840 – 1134189516821531 – 1832
341113980849 – 1111173216831553 – 1813
35995974860 – 1087173616931550 – 1835
36942973860 – 1087173717031562 – 1844
37942977865 – 1089179117211579 – 1862
38979989876 – 1102173117401594 – 1886
3910541001892 – 1110182717511606 – 1896
4010761015897 – 1133191217711632 – 1909
4110881028908 – 1147190817801638 – 1922
4212221042910 – 1175200217971663 – 1930
431054912 – 119518081650 – 1966
441068920 – 121518211662 – 1981
451074925 – 122418271664 – 1991
461086936 – 123518461678 – 2014
471102953 – 125218701684 – 2056
481121964 – 127818921702 – 2081
491135970 – 130019011683 – 2120
501163996 – 132919371721 – 2153
5111931019 – 136819721739 – 2205
5212231035 – 141019991763 – 2236
* Provisional figures. Week 40 is an estimate.

Mortality as of week 39 higher than expected

With the exception of elevated mortality in weeks 33 and 34 during the heat wave, the average weekly death count fell slightly below the expected levels as of week 19 had there not been a coronavirus epidemic. Prior to this, mortality was elevated for nine weeks on account of the COVID-19 epidemic. During the first wave of the epidemic, 10 thousand people died for whom COVID-19 was the confirmed or suspected cause of death.

For week 42, the municipal health services (GGD) reported 131 confirmed COVID-19 deaths to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), and 144 confirmed cases for week 41. Because possibly not all people with COVID-19 have themselves tested and registration sometimes takes a little longer, the actual COVID-19-related death count in the Netherlands is likely to turn out higher.

More details next Friday

The figures for week 42 are estimates, based on 83 percent of the overall number of death records to be received by CBS. CBS will publish provisional weekly mortality figures for week 42 on Friday 30 October. The figures will be more complete by then.