COVID caused 49,000 excess deaths in Mar-Apr 2020 - ISTAT

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 21 - The COVID-19 epidemic helped cause some 49,000 excess deaths in March-April 2020 compared to the average of the five preceding years, ISTAT said Wednesday. Some 29,210 were directly attributable to the virus, or 60%, the statistics agency said. About 10% were caused by pneumonia and 30% by other causes, ISTAT said. COVID was the second biggest cause of deaths in the two-month period, behind cancer. It was just behind cancer and more than double heart disease, the stats agency said. (ANSA).