In 2020, Albania had the highest excess mortality rate in Europe, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF's findings are part of a larger report on the economic outlook of the continent. The graphic shows that in 2020, there was a 20% increase in deaths in Albania compared to the 2015-2019 average.
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Source: International Monetary Fund[/caption]
According to official statistics by the Ministry of Health, some 1,315 people died in 2020 with COVID-19.
However, when the Albanian Institute of Statistics released its official death statistics for 2020, it noted that 27,605 people died in 2020, compared to the five-year average of 22,000. This marked a 27% increase.
When accounting for the deaths officially attributed to COVID-19, that leaves a gap of about 4,700 unexplained "excess" deaths.
On Friday, President Ilir Meta called on the Ministry of Health to investigate these excess deaths and their causes, citing the IMF's report.
