Status: 12/16/2022 1:45 PM
Cardiovascular disease was the most common cause of death in Germany last year. But Corona also plays a clear role in the official statistics: In more than 71,000 cases, the underlying disease was decisive.
The number of deaths in Germany rose by 3.9% last year. According to the Federal Statistical Office, a total of around 1.02 million people died in 2021, and in 2020, the office counted around 990,000 deaths. As can be seen from the cause of death statistics that have now been released, Covid-19 was listed as the leading cause of death for seven per cent of all those who died – a significant increase from 2020, year on year. which the corona pandemic began.
According to this, a total of 71,331 people died in Germany from Covid-19 as an underlying disease in 2021, up from 39,758 in 2020. The figures do not include cases where Covid-19 was documented on the death certificate as an underlying disease. concomitant, as the statisticians point out. The Federal Statistical Office intends to publish these figures in January 2023.
The death certificate is the basis of the statistics
After the autopsy, the doctor must fill out a death certificate, which forms the basis of official statistics. The personal data, time and place of death are officially documented in this certificate. This death certificate contains a confidential part in which the presumed cause of death is entered. A distinction is made between the underlying disease (the main cause of death), concomitant or secondary diseases and the immediate cause of death.
The question if anyone a or With The death of Corona has been hotly debated at different stages of the pandemic. On the one hand, these are cases where Covid-19 was clearly the underlying disease that caused the death, and on the other hand, people who were positive for coronavirus when they died, but who died for other reasons. There will always be cases where it is difficult to differentiate.
33% cardiovascular disease, 22% cancer
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which counts deaths reported under the Infection Protection Act, has slightly higher numbers than the official cause of death statistics. According to the RKI, there were 73,215 deaths from Covid 19 last year. According to the Federal Office, the different numbers are due to “differences in the two forms of documentation”.
According to Federal Office statistics, the most common cause of death last year was cardiovascular disease, as in previous years. With 340,619 deaths, a good third of all deaths can be attributed to her. 45,181 people died from a heart attack belonging to this group of diseases.
As in previous years, the second most common cause of death was cancer: 229,068 people or 22.4% of all deaths died of cancer in 2021.
