Bermuda has been spared a spike in deaths during the coronavirus crisis — unlike some other countries.

There has been an increase in mortality rates, well above official counts of Covid-19 deaths, reported in other countries.

Italy, one of the world’s most hard-hit nations, recorded almost 50 per cent more deaths in March than usual, which suggested its real Covid-19 death toll was well above the 29,000 reported so far.

The country’s state statistics agency this month reported 11,700 extra deaths over the month compared with previous years.

The New York Times, which has tracked unusually high death rates in several US cities and European countries, reported in April that Ecuador in South America had shown a spike of 7,600 more deaths between March 1 and April 15, when the Government logged just 503 confirmed deaths from Covid-19.

The Royal Gazette obtained figures from the Bermuda Registrar General showing death rates from January to April this year, as well as the same periods in 2019 and 2018.

The time frame includes the start of the worldwide Covid-19.

The statistics showed the island recorded fewer deaths in the first four months of this year over the same period last year.

• January to April 2018: 97 recorded deaths

• January to April 2019: 199 recorded deaths

• January to April 2020: 165 recorded deaths

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health said: “Available data suggests that Bermuda has not experienced a surge in deaths for the period January to April 2020 when compared to that same period in previous years.”

A spokesman for the Registrar General said the island’s death rate fluctuated.

He added: “The variation is not usually caused by anything specific. Speaking in general, there is no time of the year when residents are more likely to die.”

Bermuda’s first two cases of Covid-19 were announced on March 18.

The island’s first deaths from the disease were revealed on April 6.

Nine have died as a result of Covid-19 infection.