In order to investigate whether deaths related to the new coronavirus were overlooked, a research group of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare analyzed changes in the number of deaths nationwide using a method called "excessive deaths". It turns out that there were more deaths than statistical estimates.
Experts say, "The spread of the new corona may have had an impact."
This analysis was conducted by a research group of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare created by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, etc., and was presented at an expert meeting of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare held yesterday.
In an infectious disease epidemic, there are cases of death due to indirect effects, so the research group used a method called "mortality" to investigate how much the actual number of deaths exceeded the statistically estimated number of deaths. I did an analysis.
As a result, the number of people infected with the new coronavirus increased sharply in the fourth wave of the epidemic, and in April, 19 prefectures nationwide had more "excessive deaths" than in the same month of the past four years. about it.
Of these, the number of "excessive deaths" in April was 268 to 586 in Osaka prefecture, which was much higher than 8 to 170 in the same month last year, and 103 to 304 in Hyogo prefecture. Was there.
In April, 186 to 459 people were "excessively killed" in Tokyo.
The research group says that it is necessary to investigate the cause of death in more detail because the analysis includes all causes of death.
Takaji Wakita, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and chairman of the expert meeting of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, said, "I can't say for sure, but considering the situation in Osaka Prefecture, the spread of the new corona may have had an effect." Was there.