Stats: Fewer Than 54,000 People Died in Slovakia Last Year

Bratislava, April 3 (TASR) - Last year, fewer than 54,000 people died in Slovakia, down by 0.5 percent year-on-year (y-o-y), the Statistics Office reported on Thursday, adding that this is the lowest figure to be posted since coronavirus appeared in the country in 2020. "Total mortality stabilised at the level of the long-term average in 2024. Excess mortality, i.e. the number of extra deaths when compared to the five-year average before the pandemic (2015-2019), remained among younger pensioners," stated the Statistics Office. According to the office, excess mortality in Slovakia hit a five-year low, with the number of deaths approaching pre-pandemic figures. A positive development was seen in the category of people of productive age (15-64 years). Compared to the five-year pre-pandemic average, the number of deaths in this category went down by more than 2,000 (15.5 percent). Circulatory-system diseases were the most frequent cause of death in Slovakia last year (24,300 deaths), causing 45 percent of all deaths in the country in 2024. "Their number decreased by more than 1 percent and was lower than the five-year average before the pandemic," said the office. The second-most frequent cause of death was cancer (over 13,300 deaths). It caused almost 25 percent of all deaths in Slovakia, with pensioners in the 65+ category making up more than three-quarters of them. The third-most frequent cause of death was respiratory diseases (4,700), causing almost 9 percent of all deaths. Last year, 200 people died from the consequences of COVID-19 infection, down by 62 percent y-o-y. This was the lowest number of deaths seen over the past five years. Coronavirus caused only 0.4 percent of all deaths, thus having a marginal effect on total mortality in Slovakia, stated the office. ko/df