RIGA, June 30 (LETA) - During the first 23 weeks of 2021, the number of deaths in Latvia grew by 20.1 percent against the same period a year ago, according to the Central Statistical Bureau's (CSB) data.

In the 23-week period between January 4 and June 13, Latvia recorded 14,948 deaths as compared to 12,442 deaths recorded in the first 23 weeks of 2020. In the first 23 weeks of 2019, Latvia recorded 12,955 deaths and in the respective period in 2018 - 13,655 deaths.

According to the data released by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), 1,776 of the people who died in the first 23 weeks of this year had been diagnosed with Covid-19. They made up 11.9 percent of all people who died in the first 23 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, in the 18th week - 11.4 percent, in the 19th week - 8.3 percent, in the 20th week - 9.9 percent, in the 21st week - 7.9 percent, in the 22nd week - 7.7 percent, and in the 23rd week - 6.8 percent.

Of the people who passed away in the first 23 weeks of this year, 7,932 were women, which is 18.9 percent more than in the first 23 weeks last year, and 7,016 were men, which is an increase of 21.6 percent.

According to the statistics, 4,556 of the deaths were registered in the Riga region, up 16.3 percent from a year ago, followed by Latgale region with 2,682 deaths, up 28.6 percent, Pieriga region with 2,342 deaths, up 17.7 percent, Kurzeme region with 1,860 deaths, up 13.1 percent, Zemgale region with 1,844 deaths, up 21.3 percent, and Vidzeme region with 1,588 deaths, up 23.7 percent.