RIGA, Feb 24 (LETA) - The number of deaths in the first five weeks of the year in Latvia has increased by 43.2 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, according to the Central Statistical Bureau.

In the first five weeks of 2021, i.e. in the period from January 4 to February 7, a total of 3,972 deaths were registered in Latvia, while in the first five weeks of 2020, 2,773 deaths were registered in Latvia.

Data released by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) show that 659 people infected with Covid-19 died in the first five weeks of the year. This is 16.6 percent of all those who died during this period. 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, and in the fifth week - 19.1 percent.

Among them, 2,113 women died in the first five weeks of this year, which is 43.8 percent more than in the first five weeks last year, and 1,859 men, which is an increase of 42.6 percent.

According to the data, 1,203 of the deaths were registered in the Riga region, up 44.9 percent from a year ago, followed by Latgale region with 732 deaths, growing 59.8 percent, Pieriga region with 626 deaths, up 33.5 percent, Zemgale region with 518 deaths, up 47.6 percent, Kurzeme region with 475 deaths, growing 27 percent, and Vidzeme region with 406 deaths, up 45.5 percent.