01/03/2022
Latest Covid information from the ABS - out of the 2556 deaths only 780 were directly from covid-19 in Australia.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Deaths due to COVID-19: Associated causes, pre-existing chronic conditions
People with pre-existing chronic conditions have greater risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19. While pre-existing chronic conditions do not cause COVID-19, they increase the risk of COVID-19 complications and therefore increase the risk of death.
Pre-existing chronic conditions were reported on death certificates for 1,776 (69.5%) of the 2,556 deaths due to COVID-19 deaths outlined in this report. Of these 1,776 deaths:
Chronic cardiac conditions including coronary atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathies and atrial fibrillation were the most commonly certified co-morbidities, present in 35.8% of the 1,776 deaths.
Dementia including Alzheimer's disease was certified in over 30% of deaths due to COVID-19.
Diabetes, a condition that weakens the immune system was certified as a pre-existing condition in 20.6% of deaths with a chronic condition mentioned.
Cancer was a pre-existing condition in 14.1% of the 1,776 deaths. Blood and lymph cancers (e.g. leukaemia) were the most commonly certified cancer type among those deaths.
The type of comorbidities most commonly present in Australian deaths due to COVID-19 are consistent with those reported internationally.