Deaths down in 2020 despite covid

Friday 26 February 2021

There were 77 fewer deaths registered in Jersey last year than 2019 – the lowest number since 2014.

In the year that Jersey battled to control of spread of covid-19, 718 deaths were registered in the island compared to 795 in 2019.

There were 753 actual deaths, which included people whose deaths were not registered locally, perhaps someone dying while abroad or a non-Jersey national buried elsewhere.

The highest number of on-island deaths occurred in April (80 deaths) and December (90), in line with the peak of Jersey's two covid waves.

44 deaths were registered with covid-19 recorded on the death registration, meaning that covid was a cause of their death.

There were, however, 57 deaths that occurred in 2020 what were covid-related, meaning that the person died after testing positive for covid or had the symptoms. 

Pictured: 30 covid-19 related deaths occurred at the General Hospital, while 21 were in care homes.

Of the 57 deaths that occurred in 2000 as covid-related deaths, 34 were of men and 23 were of women.

56 of them had other conditions, with one death with no other conditions apart from Covid.

30 covid-related deaths occurred at the General Hospital, three at St. Saviour’s Hospital and one at Sandybrook Nursing Home. 

21 covid-related deaths occurred in care homes and two occurred in private homes.

The ages of those registered as a covid-related death ranged from 50 to 101 years of age. The average age was 82 years of age.

The new statistics came in the latest report of the Superintendent Registrar, which also showed that there were 863 births in Jersey last year - comprising 419 females and 444 males. This was 17 fewer births than in 2019 and the lowest number since 1976.

Pictured: Last year saw the lowest number of births in Jersey since 1976.

845 births were registered in Jersey in 2020, 76 fewer than 2019 and, like actual births, the lowest number for 44 years. 

The most popular baby names were Isabella and Lucas.

The pandemic took its toll on the number of marriages last year. There were a total of 184 marriages in Jersey in 2020 – 175 less than 2019. This was the lowest number of registered in Jersey since 1944, and provides an indicator of the impact of covid on the events sector in Jersey.