The number of deaths in Portugal increased by 19.7% in May to 10,323, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) revealed today.

Compared to April, there was also an increase, with 161 more deaths (1.6%).

In the period from January to May 2022, there were 53,698 deaths, 6,721 fewer than in the same period in 2021 (-9.1%).

"In May 2022, the number of deaths due to covid-19 increased to 869 (277 more, compared to April 2022), representing 8.4% of total deaths," INE specified, when releasing the statistics.

Compared to May 2021, there was an increase of 820 deaths due to covid-19.

Last April, there were 6,066 live births, a reduction of 3.8% compared to the same month in 2021.

"However, the total number of live births recorded in the first four months of 2022 (25,140) was higher than in the same period of 2021 (24,694), representing 446 more (1.8%)," the same source indicated.

In April, the natural population balance continued to worsen (-4,075), compared to the same month in 2021, when the figure recorded was -2,128.

"In the first four months of 2022, the accumulated value of the natural balance was -18,145, showing a marked decrease from the value observed in the same period of 2021 (-25,769)," reads the information published by INE.

Marriage celebrations continue to recover from the interruption forced by the covid-19 pandemic. In April, 2,175 unions were celebrated, 793 more than in the same month last year.

Between January and April there were 6,402 marriages, 3,585 more than in the same period of 2021.