Covid-19 deaths in February were around 40% lower than in January, according to the latest assessment by statistics agency CBS.

Death certificates showed 2,448 people died as a result of a coronavirus infection in the second month of the year, with another 56 suspected cases, bringing the total for the first 12 months of the pandemic to 27,056.

In January there were 4,333 confirmed deaths and 83 suspected cases, the second highest monthly totals after April last year. When figures for March to May are included the total is expected to exceed 30,000.

Deaths declined even faster in February among people requiring long-term care (WLZ), with 1,333 recorded cases compared to 2,550 in January. Covid-19 was responsible for 25% of all deaths among people receiving WLZ support, as against 14% of the general population.

The CBS figures are higher than those published on the public health agency RIVM’s dashboard, which only includes deaths reported directly by local health boards. The RIVM’s figures state that 17,644 people died from coronavirus up until June 2.