site.btaDeaths Drop by 19.8% in Third Quarter, Y/Y

The number of deaths in Bulgaria in the third quarter of 2022 (27th-39th week of the year) was 24,711 and the crude mortality rate stood at 14.5 per mille, according to early estimates published by the National Statistical Institute on Monday. Mortality among males (15.6 per mille) was higher than among females (13.5 per mille). Compared to the same period of the previous year, deaths decreased by 6,092, or 19.8 per cent. Compared to the second quarter of 2022 mortality decreased by 633 people, or 2.5 per cent.

The highest mortality in the third quarter of 2022 was registered in the 30th week of the year (July 25-31), at 2,102 cases, or 16.1 per 1,000 people of the average annual population. The lowest number of deaths in the third quarter of 2022 was in the 38th week, at 1,751 people, or 13.4 per mille.

The change of deaths by weeks in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the average deaths for the period 2017-2021 fluctuated from minus 252 to plus 113. There was a decrease in deaths in nine weeks, and during the remaining four weeks they increased. The highest decrease of deaths was in the 37th week of the year, when they dropped by 252 cases, or 12.2 per cent compared to the base period (2017-2021).

In the third quarter of the period 2017-2022, the age distribution of deaths remained relatively even in the age groups. There was a slight decrease in the share of deaths in the age groups from 40 to 69 years and a slight increase in the age group from 75 to 79 years.

In the third quarter of 2022 compared to the same period of 2021, deaths decreased in all administrative regions of Bulgaria. The highest decreases were in Targovishte (-32.4 per cent), Veliko Tarnovo (-31.6 per cent) and Lovech (-24.5 per cent) and the lowest in Sliven (-12.4 per cent), Kardzhali (-14.1 per cent) and Pleven (-14.4 per cent).

In the third quarter of 2022 compared to the second quarter of the same year deaths increased in nine of the country's 28 regions. The highest increase rates were observed in the regions of Yambol (14.3 per cent), Pazardzhik (8.4 per cent) and Razgrad (7.3 per cent). Deaths decreased in the remaining 19 regions, most notably in Vidin (-15.2 per cent), Kyustendil (-13.4 per cent) and Silistra (-12.6 per cent).