Study reveals Sweden and Iceland report lowest COVID-19 excess mortality in Europe

A recent study published in The Lancet evaluates the excess mortality due to COVID-19 across 29 European countries from 2020 to 2023, highlighting that the lowest mortality rates were recorded in Sweden and Iceland, while Bulgaria faced the highest figures. The analysis defines excess deaths as those surpassing the expected rates within each nation, attributing them to the pandemic, including factors like restricted healthcare access and isolation.

The research indicates that excess deaths in Europe exceeded 1.6 million during the pandemic period, with Iceland experiencing its worst year in terms of mortality in 2022. Nonetheless, during the first two years of the pandemic, Iceland’s death rates were notably lower than average; however, by 2022, excess deaths jumped to nine per 10,000 people.

Interestingly, the study suggests that neither the severity of government restrictions nor urban density in these nations correlates significantly with excess death rates. Instead, socioeconomic factors appear to play a crucial role. Higher instances of poverty and inequality are associated with increased mortality, while countries exhibiting greater GDP per capita and investment in healthcare, along with higher vaccination rates, reported fewer deaths.

In the context of Nordic countries, Denmark saw four deaths per 10,000, Finland nearly seven, while Norway and both Iceland and Sweden recorded only two. Italy, the hardest hit nation with over 228,000 excess deaths over the four years, was followed by Poland, where around 224,000 succumbed to COVID-19 and its complications.