In total, 169,000 people died in the Netherlands last year, a drop of 750 on 2022, and coronavirus was responsible for just 2% of the deaths, national statistics agency CBS said on Friday.

In 2022, 5% of the deaths registered in the Netherlands were down to Covid and in 2021, 13%.

The life expectancy of children born last year has now increased again, after falling slightly during the coronavirus pandemic.

Boys born last year will now live to an average of 80.3 years and girls 83.3 years. This is an increase of three months for both sexes on 2022 and life expectancy is now back at the 2018 level, the CBS said.