Malta tops EU chart for excess mortality rate in September - Eurostat

Eurostat has revealed that for September 2024, Malta recorded by far the highest excess mortality rate in the entire European Union (EU) - with 36.1%. The two countries with the second and third highest excess mortality rates were the Netherlands (16

By: independent.com.mt

Nov 25 2024
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Malta tops EU chart for excess

Eurostat's monthly excess mortality indicator illustrates how many additional deaths are being experienced by regions to what could be "forecasted" during a normal period. Excess mortality is calculated by comparing the total number of recorded deaths in a region in the past month (irrespective of the cause of death) and comparing this total to a normal baseline period (2016-2019). The baseline is given by average monthly deaths in the period 2016-2019.

This marked the third consecutive month that Malta topped all EU countries for excess mortality rates. The excess mortality rate for August 2024 stood at 38 % and for July 2024, this reading was 27.5%. In June 2024 there was an excess mortality rate of 11.1%.

There were a total of 339 deaths in Malta in September 2024.

With data being recorded on a weekly basis, Eurostat is able to publish the excess mortality rates for each week per month. Malta had the largest excess mortality rate for week 1 of September 2024 (44.6%), week 3 (46.3%), and the fourth and final week of the month (33.3%). For the second week of September, Malta (17.4%) only trailing behind Luxembourg (20.4%) in this regard.

Malta also recorded approximately 20% more additional deaths than any other region in August 2024, far ahead of second-highest Ireland (19.3%) and third-placed Cyprus (17.3%).

For the entirety of the EU, this indicator's most recent reading - September 2024 - stands at 7% above the baseline.

While excess mortality rates were deemed to have continued to vary across the continent, 21 EU countries recorded a positive rate while the remaining five countries where such data is available came back with a negative rate.

It was first devised in April 2020 as a means to aid policy and research efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic and help paint a more accurate picture on the number of deaths caused by the novel coronavirus. Since COVID-19 vaccines have become widespread, this data collection has continued.

The Eurostat report stated that Malta's high excess mortality rate for September 2024 is "likely linked to heatwaves" during this same period.