COVID-19 to blame for 20,000 excess deaths last year: report

Australia amassed nearly 20,000 more deaths last year than expected, and experts say COVID-19 is largely to blame.
The total excess mortality for the full 2022 calendar year was an estimated 12%, equating to around 19,800 more deaths than would have been predicted if not for the pandemic, the Actuaries Institute has found.
The excess mortality was 11% between January and November last year, equating to more than 17,900 deaths.
An estimate for December took the yearly figure to 19,800.