RIGA, June 9 (LETA) - During the first 20 weeks of 2021, the number of deaths in Latvia grew by 21.1 percent against the same period a year ago, according to the Central Statistical Bureau's (CSB) data.

In the 20-week period between January 4 and May 23, Latvia recorded 13,195 deaths as compared to 10,893 deaths recorded in the first 20 weeks of 2020. In the first 20 weeks of 2019, Latvia recorded 11,434 deaths and in the respective period in 2018 - 12,139 deaths.

According to the data released by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), 1,646 of the people who died in the first 20 weeks of this year had been diagnosed with Covid-19. They made up 12.5 percent of all people who died in the first 20 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, and in the 20th week - 9.9 percent.

Of the people who passed away in the first 20 weeks of this year, 7,029 were women, which is 20.1 percent more than in the first 20 weeks last year, and 6,166 were men, which is an increase of 22.4 percent.

According to the statistics, 3,959 of the deaths were registered in the Riga region, up 15.6 percent from a year ago, followed by Latgale region with 2,385 deaths, up 30.1 percent, Pieriga region with 2,083 deaths, up 19.5 percent, Kurzeme region with 1,648 deaths, up 15.4 percent, Zemgale region with 1,627 deaths, up 21.3 percent, and Vidzeme region with 1,422 deaths, up 26.7 percent.