Thiruvananthapuram: Death in the state from road accidents and other communicable diseases were less than Covid19 related fatalities in 2020. The overall death rate also dropped by around 10%between 2019 and 2020, as per latest data from the civil registration system.
The latest figures contain information on deaths from all parts of the state, except 153 grampanchayat where anew system is in place and for which data has not been compiled yet.
Kerala recorded 2,37,407 deaths in 2020 compared with 2,63,983 the previous year translating to a 26,576 drop. According to sources, even if data from the remaining panchayat is included, the figures will be significantly lower than in the previous year.
In case of communicable diseases, 2020 saw the lowest mortality of the past five years, at 90. This down 61% from the previous year even road accidents deaths fell by 32% , and the figure of 2.979 was the lowest recorded in the past five years.
Last year, Kerala reported 3,074 covid19 deaths. Thus was the first time that fatalities from an infection disease out numbered accident deaths in Kerala. The cumulative deaths from communicable diseases have always been lower than that of accident deaths.
“Assuming that most of deaths from 2020 are already registered, some of this reduction can still be a result of deaths averted by decreased economic activity, mobility 6the overall lockdown resulting in reduced road traffic or industrial accidents, or even reduced number of deaths from infections disease. However, fact remains that Kerala historically had a very low proportion of deaths due to infection disease,” said health researcher Oommen C Kurian in a technical paper published by observer research foundation.
Also for the first time in five years, Kerala managed to bring down the fatality due to other communication diseases below 100 in 2020. The most significant drop was noted in HINI deaths. In 2018 and 2019 Kerala recorded 50 and 45 HINI deaths, respectively, While in 2020 only two deaths were recorded due to H1N1. Medical practitioners attribute such a sharp dip in H1N1 morality to widespread use of masks, which reduced chances of respiratory infection. Covid19 remained the major and solo respiratory viral threat for keralites in 2020, infection disease specialists said.
Commenting on data, health minister K K Shailaja said intervention by health department and other department with a focus on saving lives seem to have yielded results. Even district with the highest number of Covid19 deaths and which have recorded more than 300 deaths showed a dip in total number of deaths in 2020. In Thiruvananthapuram which has had the highest Covid19 mortality death rate dropped by 11% while that of Ernakulam and Thrissur came down by 10%.
We will get the full picture only after data compilation from 153 local bodies as well which is being recorded in a new system, said M Ramankutty, chief registrar; births and deaths, panchayat department.
OVERALL DEATH RATE DECLINES
Overall death rate in state drops by around 10% veen 2019 and 2020, as per data from civil registration system
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: 2020 sees lowest mortality of past five years, at 90
ROAD-ACCIDENTS: Deaths fall by 32%, and the figure of 2,979 is the lowest recorded in past five years
HINI: In 2018 and 2019 Kerala records 50 and 45 deaths, respectively, while in 2020 only two deaths are recorded
Some of this reduction can still be a result of deaths averted by decreased economic activity, mobility and the overall lockdown
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