![Hungary’s Excess Mortality Surpasses 28,000 during First Three COVID-19 Waves](https://hungarytoday.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DBZOL20211213007-scaled.jpg)
Fifteen percent more people died in Hungary during the first three waves of the COVID-19 epidemic than would have been expected based on demographic trends of previous years, according to a recent study.Continue reading
Preliminary data show that 7,336 children were born and 16,106 people died in December 2021, with the number of live births increasing by 1.8 percent compared with December last year, while deaths decreased by 6.1 percent, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Friday.
KSH said the high base reflecting the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in December 2020 was the reason for the decrease in the death rate.
As the number of deaths was lower than last year and births increased slightly, a 12 percent decrease in the natural population loss was registered, with a loss of 8,770 in December 2021 as against 9,949 in December 2020.
In December 2021, 4,320 couples tied the knot, up 30 percent from 1,008 in December 2020.
Last year, 93,000 children were born, up 0.7 percent from 2020, while 155,000 people died, 9.9 percent increase on the previous year.
The natural population loss came to 62,000 compared with 48,664 in 2020, an increase of 27 percent.
In 2021, 72,000 couples were married, 7.3 percent up on the previous year.
featured image illustration via Zoltán Balogh/MTI