Since the Omicron variant was first identified as a variant of concern, everyone wants to understand the severity. An initial study in South Africa suggests Omicron is less severe, whereas a UK study finds no difference. My view? Still too early to tell.
The COVID-19 Mortality Working Group continues to compare the predicted number of deaths based on their modelling against the observed number of deaths using the latest available data to 31 August 2021. In the year to date, deaths from all causes were close to predicted, despite the 79 COVID-19 deaths in August. Other respiratory deaths – mainly flu – remain significantly lower than in previous years.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected Australia’s cause-specific mortality so far in 2021? The Actuaries Institute’s COVID-19 Mortality Working Group has developed a statistical model to predict deaths across several major causes of death, against which actual deaths can be monitored.
The ongoing business disruption caused by COVID-19 has delayed the expected profit recovery for the Australian General Insurance industry, according to Finity’s annual state of the industry report, Optima.
Posted 18 March 2021
