Data from the Funeral Service of the City of São Paulo, managed by Ricardo Nunes (MDB), show a 20.54% increase in burials carried out in public cemeteries in the capital in the first five months of the year, compared to the same period in 2020. This is despite the fall in burials in May compared to April. The numbers include victims of the novel coronavirus and other causes of death.
From January to May last year, 32,657 people were buried in the city of São Paulo, a number lower than the same period in 2021, when 39,367 were buried in total.
In April 2021, 8,998 people were buried in municipal cemeteries, while in May there were 7,843 burials, a drop of 1,155 burials (14.72%). The month with the highest number of people buried in the last three years was March 2021, with 9,885.
“I believe the average will remain high, but I don't believe we'll get to beat March again. This is mainly due to two impacts: that of the vaccine and that those most susceptible to death, unfortunately, did not resist and the number fell,” Paulo Lotufo, professor of Clinical Medicine at USP. “The vaccination data are very poorly presented, it is difficult to talk about,” he added.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon