Overall excess mortality and COVID-19 mortality in Brazil and Brazilian regions in 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the overall excess mortality and COVID-19 mortality in the regions of Brazil, in 2020, by sex and age group. An ecological study was carried out to calculate the overall excess mortality, by sex and age group, using the expected number of deaths in a non-pandemic context and the deaths observed in 2020. Data on deaths were extracted from the Brazilian Mortality Information System, in addition to population data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Excess mortality was calculated considering: the difference between the mortality rates observed in 2020 and the average of the rates from 2015 to 2019, standardized by age; and the difference between observed deaths obtained via a quasi-Poisson model and the deaths expected for 2020. In Brazil, the standardized overall mortality rate in 2020 was 590 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, with excess mortality of 44 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, while the mortality rate from COVID-19 was 79 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. The highest overall mortality rates were observed in the North and Northeast regions. The excess deaths estimated by the ratio between observed and expected deaths nationwide in 2020 was 16%; of which 17% were males, 16% were females, 7% were individuals from 0 to 59 years old, and 20% were individuals aged 60 years or older. These outcomes enabled a better understanding on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mortality in Brazil in 2020, indicating a more pronounced excess mortality in the North, Northeast and Central-West regions and among men older than 60 years.