Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality in Serbia in 2020

Marinković, Ivan and Galjak, Marko (2021) Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality in Serbia in 2020. Teme, 45 (4). pp. 1261-1273. ISSN 0353-7919 eISSN 1820-7804

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Abstract

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes the systemic disease COVID-19, which killed more people in a few months than all infectious diseases together in this century. COVID-19 was one of the leading causes of death in 2020 in many countries (according to the preliminary data). By applying the demographic method to final mortality data for 2020, we can give an overview of the situation in Serbia through population mortality indicators. The effect of COVID-19 on mortality in Serbia in 2020 was higher than anticipated. The surplus of mortality that occurred in 2020 (compared to the three-year average of 2017-2019) is 14,657, an increase in mortality of about 14%. Deaths from COVID-19, according to vital statistics, make up 71% of excess mortality. This increase is also reflected in life expectancy at birth which dropped by 1.55 years. The male population observed higher mortality rates from COVID-19 and a more significant life expectancy drop. Around 4% of those who died from COVID-19 are younger than 50. A person who is 85 or older was almost 100 times more likely to die from the consequences of COVID-19 than a person who is 34 or younger. COVID-19 was the second leading cause of death in Serbia in 2020. One of the few positive things about this pandemic is that violent deaths plummeted.

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