How COVID-19 has Affected Mortality in 2020 to 2023 [Australia]

Posted on by Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://www.actuaries.asn.au/public-policy-and-media/our-thought-leadership/reports/how-covid-19-has-affected-mortality-in-2020-to-2023?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=240722-PPP-How%20COVID-19%20has%20Affected%20Mortality%20in%202020%20to%202023-Members&utm_content=240722-PPP-How%20COVID-19%20has%20Affected%20Mortality%20in%202020%20to%202023-Members+CID_aedad499bf553276132939b99d7a0215&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=How%20COVID-19%20Affected%20Mortality%20in%20Australia%20from%202020%20to%202023

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Excerpt:

There were 8,400 more deaths in Australia in 2023 than predicted had the pandemic not occurred – less than half of the almost 20,000 excess deaths estimated for 2022.

The new Research Paper from the Mortality Working Group explores how COVID-19 affected mortality in Australia from 2020 to 2023 and how Australia’s experience compares with the rest of the world.  

In brief: 

  • The steep decline in excess deaths in 2023 was primarily due to the number of people dying from COVID-19 falling to 4,600 in 2023 from 10,300 in 2022.  
  • While Australia’s excess mortality rate had dropped substantially, it remains significantly higher than the 1-2% excess observed in years of high flu deaths prior to the pandemic.  
  • When analysing the excess mortality of 40 countries from 2020 to 2023, Australia’s excess mortality over the four-year period (5%) was low by global standards (11%).  

Author(s): Mortality Working Group. Members Karen Cutter, Ronald Lai, Jennifer Lang, Han Li, Richard
Lyon, Matt Ralph, Amitoze Singh, Michael Seymour, Zhan Wang.

Publication Date: July 2024

Publication Site: Actuaries Institute