Excess mortality in NL slowly decreasing; Fewer extra deaths than in first Covid wave

The excess mortality in the Netherlands that coincided with the second wave of coronavirus infections is slowly decreasing, Statistics Netherlands said on Friday. In the past week, November 16 to 22, an estimated 3,336 people died - 364 more than expected for this time of year. The previous week, 598 more people than expected died.

The second wave of coronavirus-tied deaths so far claimed fewer lives than the first wave, the stats office said. Mortality has been higher than expected for nine weeks now. In that period 3,900 more people than expected died. During the first wave, 9 thousand more people than expected died in nine weeks.

But the second wave does seem to be stretching on for longer than the first wave did. By the ninth week of the first wave, the mortality rate had returned to normal. That hasn't yet happened in the second wave yet.