JAMESTOWN – The total number of deaths reported in Western New York during the COVID-19 pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 were noticeably higher than other recent years, according to data acquired by WRFA from the State Health Department. The data also found that total deaths in Chautauqua County saw a higher rate of increase compared to the region.
In January, WRFA filed a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request with the New York State Health Department, seeking the total number of deaths recorded for each of the five counties in Western New York for the 12-year period covering 2010 through 2021. A chart including all the data is provided below.
The preliminary data shows the total number of deaths in Western New York was 16,876 for 2021, the highest from any of the 12 years covered in the request. The second highest total was in 2020, when the total number of deaths was 16,741. The third highest total was 15,054 and reported in the non-pandemic year of 2018.
When the 2020 total deaths for the region (16,741) are compared to the average total deaths during the previous three years (14,910), there was an 11% increase. For 2021, the total (16,876) was up over 8% compared to the previous three-year average (15,508), but that average includes the pandemic year of 2020. But when compared to the average for the three previous non-pandemic years, the increase was 11.6%.
Locally in Chautauqua County, 2021 had the highest total number of deaths during the 12-year period under review. There were 1496 deaths reported for Chautauqua County in 2021, a 16.4% increase over the previous three-year average (1250.7). The preliminary total for the county in 2020 was noticeably lower than 2021 and came in at 1255.
For each of the other four counties in Western New York, the highest death totals also occurred in either 2020 or 2021, suggesting that the pandemic has resulted in higher death totals compared to other recent non-pandemic years.
- Cattaraugus County saw the sharpest increase of any of the five counties in 2021 with 964 deaths reported. That was 21.5% higher than the previous three-year average (756.3).
- Allegany County saw its highest total in 2020 with 456 deaths reported. That was 10.75% higher than the previous three-year average (407).
- Erie County also saw its highest total in 2020 with 11,885 deaths reported. That was nearly 12% higher than the previous three-year average (10,485.3).
- Niagara County saw its highest total in 2020 with 2358 deaths, 15% higher than the previous three-year average (2003).
The total deaths for each year are represented by the number of death certificates issued in each county. According to the state health officials, the data for 2020 and 2021 is based on provisional death certificate information and is subject to change. Officials say the data does not include deaths for residents these counties which occurred in NYC or out of state (such as nearby Pennsylvania), and is potentially underestimated across all years.
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