DUBLIN: There is no doubt that COVID-19 is a deadly infectious disease. However, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has released some figures that should never be forgotten in the Pandemic fear. The alarming figure is that the number of cancer deaths this year in Ireland is five times that of COVID-19.
It also reveals that COVID-19 is the fourth most common cause of death registered in Ireland so far this year. Analysis of CSO data on mortality, including COVID-19, during the ten months from January to October 2020, reveals this frightening truth.
From January 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020, 22,416 deaths were registered across the country. Of these, cancer (7,269) is the leading cause of death. Other common causes of death were circulatory system/heart disease (5,886) and respiratory system/lung disease (2,390).
These three causes account for about 70% of all deaths reported in Ireland so far this year. Of those registered, COVID-19 deaths were 1,462 (6.5%). However, according to the Department of Health, the death toll from COVID19 is much higher. The death toll is now 2,022. At the end of October, it was 1,915.
“Legally, in Ireland, a death can be registered up to three months after the date of occurrence and therefore not all deaths that took place between 01 January 2020 and 31 October 2020 are included in this. The CSO estimates that approximately 2,500 to 3,500 deaths remain to be registered covering the period of analysis in this output,” the CSO said.