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When the Statistics Department began releasing more data related to COVID-19 deaths from Thursday, the true scale of the deaths was seen, says Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys.
“As an example, an exceptional example, I would like to highlight the problem of excess deaths, which can now be assessed using new indicators,” Dulkys said at a news conference Thursday.
As of Thursday, 3,013 people have died to date with the primary diagnosis of COVID-19. Added to these deaths, the total number of deaths with a COVID-19 diagnosis is 5,192 deaths.
Meanwhile, adding all the remaining people who died within 28 days of being diagnosed with COVID-19 from any non-external cause of death, the death toll is 5,840.
“It is this modified methodology that has really broadened that concept of death, and yes, it can be concluded from that method that as many people as COVID-19 died directly, almost as many people who died from that disease died” – he said. the minister.
According to the head of the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, Jūratė Petrauskienė, the department introduced three definitions of deaths to present these indicators in more detail.
Jonas Bačelis, a data analyst for the department, said the first of the three figures released has not changed, it is calculated according to the narrower definition of deaths from COVID-19. The other two numbers include each other.
“Last but not least, it is comparable to, for example, the UK: if a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and if that person has died within 28 days of that diagnosis, that death will be classified as COVID-19. Death, “he said. analyst.
He stressed that these statistics do not include cases in which people die from external causes, such as violent deaths.
Mathematician Vaidotas Zemlys-Balevičius, who participates in the expert groups of heads of state on the management of COVID-19, noted on Facebook that this new statistic explains practically all surplus deaths.
“So the quarantine does not kill people, it is COVID-19. Who could have thought it. The dynamics also makes it clear that it was the restrictions imposed that contributed to the reduction in deaths. It is a pity that we have just seen the true cost of the epidemic, “he wrote.
Earlier, the Department of Statistics announced that last year 13 percent died in Lithuania. or 5.1 thousand. people more people than in 2019.
This was the largest increase in deaths in a year since the 1990s.
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