Despite the decrease in mortality from Covid in 2022, the disease remains among the top five causes of death in Brazil, according to a survey carried out by DeltaFolha using data from the SIM (Mortality Information System) from the Ministry of Health. In 2020, when the pandemic began, 194,976 people died from Covid. As a result, it has become the leading cause of death of all types (including external causes such as accidents and violent deaths). The picture was repeated in 2021 when 424,133 deaths were accounted for by Covid alone.
In the last two years, deaths from Covid have surpassed the two main types of causes of death in the country in the last decade: diseases of the circulatory system (including myocardial infarction and ischemic disease) and neoplasms (tumors). However, in February 2022, Covid ceased to be the main cause of death in the country, occupying second place, behind cardiovascular diseases (a varied set that includes different types of diseases). Afterward, it fluctuated but still remained among the top five causes. The numbers for last year are still preliminary. The most favorable scenario, according to experts, is mainly due to the advancement of vaccination, however, it is still important to look at the impact of Covid on health.
It is important to note that Covid is a single cause, while cardiovascular disease represents a cluster of diseases that includes multiple causes. Some types of causes of death will vary according to gender, age, social status, or region of the country.
Translated by Cassy Dias