Australia has one of the highest excess mortality rates in the world, following the guidance of the World Health Organization and Bill Gates during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to data from the Actuaries Institute, the country recorded 174,000 deaths in 2022, 12% more than predicted.
Unprecedented Increase in Deaths
Karen Cutter, from the Institute’s Covid-19 mortality working group, stated that the levels of excess deaths were “not within normal levels of fluctuation in non-pandemic times.” The institute believes that Covid-19 played a role in many of the excess deaths, even those not directly attributed to the virus.
Covid-19’s Impact on Health
Previous research has shown that anyone who has contracted Covid-19 has an increased risk of deadly heart issues, including heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, and heart disease. The virus has also been linked to an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism, a condition when a blood clot forms in a vein.
Reduced Access to Healthcare
Many people were unable to access healthcare during the pandemic, as medical services closed their doors or offered reduced services. This could have contributed to the increase in excess deaths, as people were unable to access medical care in emergency situations or missed routine care earlier in the pandemic.
Vaccine Side Effects
Karen Cutter stated that vaccine side effects were not cited as a reason for the increased mortality rates. Research suggests that myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, is no more likely to be triggered by a Covid vaccine than any other vaccine.
Australia is not alone in this phenomenon, with other countries such as the UK also experiencing an unprecedented rise in excess mortality. The UK recorded nearly 40,000 excess deaths in 2022, according to the Office of National Statistics.