LCQ14: Statistics on number of deaths
8.2.2023

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