Bulgaria reported the highest excess mortality rate over the pandemic among 24 international territories analysed by the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI).
The CMI’s analysis which investigated mortality from the start of the coronavirus pandemic until the end of 2022, found Bulgaria had the highest cumulative excess mortality to the end of 2022 (+65%) followed by Poland (+46%) and the USA (+45%).
England and Wales with an excess mortality of +26% to the end of 2022 – ranked third highest of the 12 Western European and Nordic territories analysed and ninth highest of all territories analysed.
Of all territories with data to the end of 2022, New Zealand reported the lowest cumulative excess mortality (-4%). Neighbour Australia had the second lowest (+1%) and Norway the third lowest (+3%).
Cobus Daneel, chairman of the CMI Mortality Projections Committee, said: “England and Wales was hit hard by the first two waves of the coronavirus pandemic and then has continued to experience persistent elevated mortality since mid-2021.
“Compared to other Western European and Nordic territories, England & Wales experienced the third highest excess mortality since the start of the pandemic but ranks nearer to the middle of the pack when considering all territories analysed.
“New Zealand is notable as the only country with negative cumulative excess mortality, meaning the number of deaths over the period were lower than expected.”
The CMI used data from the Human Mortality Database (HMD) to analyse mortality in England and Wales and 23 other international territories.
The analysis investigated excess mortality for the 24 territories from week 10 of 2020 (broadly the start of the coronavirus pandemic in England and Wales) to the end of 2022 and compares the periods before and after week 26 of 2021 (since when mortality in England & Wales was markedly less volatile than earlier in the pandemic).
