01 October 2021
The Jersey Mortality Statistics for 2020 have been published online. The report shows that 750 Jersey residents were recorded as having died last year which is the lowest number of annual deaths since 2014.
The report outlines:
- Circulatory system diseases and Cancers accounted for 60% of deaths
- Average age at death was 79 years, it was 67 years in 1960
- Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease accounted for 7% of deaths, it was 13% in 2019
- 390 deaths were male, and 360 deaths were female
- Age-standardised mortality rate was 733 per 100,000 population, in England it was 1,044 per 100,000.
The report also outlines the deaths caused by Covid-19:
- Covid-19 accounted for 7% of all deaths in Jersey, it was 12% in England and Wales
- Covid-19 was recorded as the underlying cause for 49 deaths and was mentioned on 55 death certificates
- Covid-19 deaths were highest in April and December 2020.
- 55% of Covid-19 deaths occurred in Hospital.
There is a methodological difference between the data published by the Office of the Superintendent Registrar (OSIR) and the Public Health Intelligence Team (PHIT). The OSIR looks at death registrations in 2020, whereas the PHIT use data on deaths that occurred in 2020, as well as data of Islanders who died off-Island and were repatriated.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) review Jersey's data and code the people who died from Covid-19 rather than with Covid-19, as seen in the OSIR's reports. The data from ONS shows that 49 Islanders died as a result of Covid-19 in 2020.
Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf, said: "There has been an improvement in death rates in recent years with age standardised mortality rates on a downward trend year on year; this continued into last year despite being in a global pandemic.
"The decrease in number of deaths from illnesses and diseases other than Covid-19 could have been a result of shielding and keeping our vulnerable at home through lockdowns and restricting movement within the community. GPs worked closely with vulnerable Islanders at the start of the pandemic to monitor health and ensure they were keeping well.
"In Jersey, Covid-19 was the fourth leading cause of death as it accounted for 7% of all deaths, compared to England and Wales where Covid-19 was the number one leading cause of death. I believe this is testament to how well our community came together, followed the Covid-19 guidelines, and supported one another in keeping our Island safe, particularly at a time when we didn't have access to vaccination yet. The past year has been difficult for all Islanders and we must continue to keep each other safe as we adapt to life alongside Covid-19."
gov.je