Despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, mortality rates in many regions of Europe have decreased in 2020. However, some areas have experienced high excess mortality. Excess mortality refers to an increase in the death rate compared to the average of previous years. According to the study “Regions and Cities at a Glance,” there was significant excess mortality in some regions of Europe in 2020, including northern Italy (80%) and the central regions of Spain around Madrid (80%). Another study that also considers indirect deaths shows high excess mortality (38%) for England and Wales. The Spanish region of Catalonia, the eastern French department of Haut-Rhin (southern Alsace), and the eastern Italian province of Pesaro-Urbino are also affected. There were also widespread high values in Sweden and northern France. However, the study does not provide an overall mortality rate. The authors only explain that “there was a 6% excess mortality in large regions of Europe.”
In contrast, mortality rates have decreased significantly in some regions of Europe, particularly in central and eastern Europe, compared to the average of the years 2018/19 between February and June 2020. This is true for large parts of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Norway, Greece, and central and southern Italy, as well as southern and western France. Mortality rates in the Austrian states of Vienna, Styria, Salzburg, and Vorarlberg were average, while the other states had low mortality rates. Even in Tyrol, the state with the highest number of SARS-CoV-2 deaths in absolute numbers, mortality rates have decreased according to the OECD. Mortality rates during the pandemic have increased the most in Styria, Austria. The study data also show that SARS-CoV-2 deaths affect cities significantly more than rural areas.
Overall, the study highlights the complex and varied impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mortality rates across Europe. While some regions have experienced high excess mortality, others have seen a significant decrease. The study also emphasizes the importance of considering indirect deaths and the differential impact on urban and rural areas. These findings can inform public health policies and interventions to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on mortality rates.
