Since July 2020, the Health Ministry has worked alongside the country’s Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) and the National Statistics Institute (INEC) to analyze Costa Rica’s COVID-19-related deaths.
The team of forensic and medical experts is determining how many of Costa Rica’s coronavirus-related deaths were actually caused by Covid-19 or an associated complication.
Of the 702 deaths analyzed so far, 90% have been confirmed to have resulted from the SARS-CoV-2 virus or a related complication.
“The virus provoked their death,” Health Minister Daniel Salas explained last year of people who fell under this designation.
The remaining 10% of deaths resulted from causes not related to Covid-19 or were indeterminable.
The details of the 702 deaths, released Wednesday by the Health Ministry, are as follows:
- 632 died of Covid-19 (90%), comprising 388 men and 244 women.
- 58 deaths (8%) were not likely related to Covid-19, though the individual had recently tested positive.
- 4 cases were indeterminate.
- 8 are pending further assessment with forensic pathology and medical centers.
Costa Rica has reported 3,673 deaths related to Covid-19 as of Tuesday, and more than 1,400 people are currently hospitalized with the disease.
This case-by-case analysis of deaths mirrors the examination Costa Rica conducted during and after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. It will continue over the coming months.
If you believe you have COVID-19, contact Costa Rica’s hotline at 1322. English-speaking staff and mental health professionals are available. Visit the Costa Rican Presidency for the official list of coronavirus measures and alerts.
