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LCQ14: Statistics on number of deaths
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     Following is a question by the Hon Michael Tien and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (February 8):

Question:

     Will the Government inform this Council of the total number of deaths in Hong Kong each week (i) from September 26, 2022, to January 8, 2023, (ii) from September 26, 2019, to January 8, 2020, and (iii) from September 26, 2018 to January 8, 2019, with a tabulated breakdown by age group?

Reply:

President,

     According to the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance (Cap. 174), the Registrar of Births and Deaths (i.e. the Director of Immigration) is responsible for keeping registers of all births and deaths occurring in Hong Kong. According to existing legislation, the nearest relatives/relatives or other relevant persons of the deceased have the duty to report information concerning such death to a registrar within 24 hours. It is worth noting that the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 was passed by the Legislative Council on January 18, 2023, and gazetted on January 27 of the same year (Amendment Ordinance). According to the Amendment Ordinance, the statutory time limit for registration of deaths by the nearest relatives or other relevant persons of the deceased will be extended from the current 24 hours to 14 days. The Amendment Ordinance is expected to commence on March 31, 2023.

     The current register kept by the Immigration Department (ImmD) shows the number of deaths registration at different time periods, and is not necessarily the date of deaths concerned. The following reply is prepared based on the register of deaths for the time periods specified in the question, and that the ImmD does not keep the statistics on number of deaths registration by age.

(i) from September 26, 2022, to January 8, 2023
Date Total number of deaths registration
September 26 to October 2, 2022 992
October 3 to October 9, 2022 878
October 10 to October 16, 2022 921
October 17 to October 23, 2022 816
October 24 to October 30, 2022 973
October 31 to November 6, 2022 935
November 7 to November 13, 2022 944
November 14 to November 20, 2022 957
November 21 to November 27, 2022 906
November 28 to December 4, 2022 940
December 5 to December 11, 2022 868
December 12 to December 18, 2022 976
December 19 to December 25, 2022 1 074
December 26, 2022, to January 1, 2023 1 065
January 2 to January 8, 2023 1 419

(ii) from September 26, 2019, to January 8, 2020
Date Total number of deaths registration
September 26 to October 2, 2019 742
October 3 to October 9, 2019 738
October 10 to October 16, 2019 1 010
October 17 to October 23, 2019 883
October 24 to October 30, 2019 978
October 31 to November 6, 2019 812
November 7 to November 13, 2019 745
November 14 to November 20, 2019 924
November 21 to November 27, 2019 942
November 28 to December 4, 2019 1 004
December 5 to December 11, 2019 981
December 12 to December 18, 2019 1 026
December 19 to December 25, 2019 866
December 26, 2019, to January 1, 2020 824
January 2 to January 8, 2020 1 340

(iii) from September 26, 2018, to January 8, 2019
Date Total number of deaths registration
September 26 to October 2, 2018 821
October 3 to October 9, 2018 1 037
October 10 to October 16, 2018 898
October 17 to October 23, 2018 804
October 24 to October 30, 2018 933
October 31 to November 6, 2018 782
November 7 to November 13, 2018 854
November 14 to November 20, 2018 863
November 21 to November 27, 2018 881
November 28 to December 4, 2018 865
December 5 to December 11, 2018 892
December 12 to December 18, 2018 903
December 19 to December 25, 2018 732
December 26, 2018, to January 1, 2019 865
January 2 to January 8, 2019 1 250

 
Ends/Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:05
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