Between 1 and 25 December last year almost 9,300 people died in Belgium. This is significantly above the average for the first 25 days of December in other years. The figures appear in an article in Friday’s edition of the daily ‘Het Laatste Nieuws’. The number of deaths is comparable with that in December 2020 and 2021 when the coronavirus pandemic was still very much in full swing. However, in December 2022 other factors than just coronavirus served to push up the number of deaths.
Above average death rate in December due to “Combination of viruses, cold and poor air quality”
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Figures from the Federal Bureau of Statistics Statbel show that between 1 and 25 December 2022 9,294 people died in Belgium. This figure is almost as high as the number of deaths in the period from 1 to 25 December in 2020 and 2021 when the coronavirus pandemic was still playing a big role in pushing up the figures. The public health science institute Sciensano confirms the figures and says that there was “significant excess mortality” of 14% in December 2022.
Excess mortality is when a greater number of people than had been expected dies during a given period. Expected mortality is based on the average mortality during a given period in previous years.
Coronavirus only played a limited role in pushing up the mortality rate. Other factors were also at play in December 2022. Sciensano’s Wesley Van Dessel told VRT News that flu, other respiratory conditions such as COVID-19 and RSV, the weather (significant temperature fluctuations) and high concentrations of particulate matter or ozone increase the risk of death particularly among the old. In December it would appear that all these factors combined to fuel a peak in the number of deaths.
Sciensano’s Toon Breyne told journalists that "In December we saw a high circulation of various illnesses such as flu, RSV, but also corona. Moreover, the weather conditions weren’t ideal. There was a cold snap and little wind. This meant that air quality was poor and particulate matter concentrations were quite high”.
The public health science institute says that the situation here in Belgium is comparable to neighbouring countries such as The Netherlands.
"The population pyramids of the Western European countries are quite comparable. Belgium and The Netherlands both have an older population and older age demographics are more susceptible to the risk factors that contribute to excess mortality. At the end of December most other Western European countries were confronted with excess mortality”, Toon Breyne told journalists.