Covid-19’s Lingering Impact On Australia’s Mortality Rates – WE News English

SYDNEY, Australia: Research from the Australian Actuaries Institute reveals that Covid-19 continues to drive Australia’s above-average mortality rate, with a five percent increase in deaths in 2023 compared to expectations. This equates to 8,400 excess deaths. Approximately 4,600 of these deaths were directly due to Covid-19, making it the ninth leading cause of death last year.

The study highlights that non-Covid-19 excess deaths are notably high among Australians over 75. Previous Covid infections and healthcare disruptions have heightened risks related to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and dementia. Delays in routine or emergency care and undiagnosed Covid-19 cases also contribute to the elevated death rate.

While the excess mortality rate in 2023 was lower than in 2022, experts caution that Covid-19 will likely continue to cause excess mortality in the coming years, either directly or as a contributing factor to other health issues. Actuary Institute spokeswoman Karen Cutter noted that each successive Covid-19 wave has resulted in fewer deaths, but the overall mortality level is expected to remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.

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The report also indicates that Australia’s excess mortality is lower than the global average, with countries like Ecuador, Mexico, and Russia experiencing the highest rates of unexplained deaths. In contrast, New Zealand had the lowest excess mortality rate among the 40 countries analyzed.