RIGA, May 26 (LETA) - During the first 18 weeks of 2021, the number of deaths in Latvia grew by 23.1 percent against the same period a year ago, according to the Central Statistical Bureau's (CSB) data.

In the 18-week period between January 4 and May 9, Latvia recorded 11,943 deaths as compared to 9,704 deaths recorded in the first 18 weeks of 2020. In the first 18 weeks of 2019, Latvia recorded 10,388 deaths and in the respective period in 2018 - 11,059 deaths.

According to the data released by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), 1,532 of the people who died in the first 18 weeks of this year had been diagnosed with Covid-19. They made up 12.8 percent of all people who died in the first 18 weeks of this year. In the first week of this year the share of Covid-19 related deaths was 20.2 percent, in the second week - 15.8 percent, in the third week - 16.9 percent, in the fourth week - 10.8 percent, in fifth week - 19.1 percent, in the sixth week - 16.1 percent, in the seventh week - 13.4 percent, in the eighth week - 11.5 percent, in the ninth week - 13 percent, in the 10th week - 11.9 percent, in the 11th week - 9.5 percent, in the 12th week - 9 percent, in the 13th week - 8.9 percent, in the 14th week - 10.1 percent, in the 15th week - 11.4 percent, in the 16th week - 8.2 percent, in the 17th week - 6.8 percent, and in the 18th week - 11.4 percent.

Of the people who passed away in the first 18 weeks of this year, 6,366 were women, which is 21.3 percent more than in the first 18 weeks last year, and 5,577 were men, which is an increase of 25.2 percent.

According to the statistics, 3,596 of the deaths were registered in the Riga region, up 19.5 percent from a year ago, followed by Latgale region with 2,162 deaths, up 33.5 percent, Pieriga region with 1,878 deaths, up 20.5 percent, Kurzeme region with 1,491 deaths, up 16.8 percent, Zemgale region with 1,454 deaths, up 24.1 percent, and Vidzeme region with 1,296 deaths, up 26.6 percent.