Diseases of the circulatory system and neoplasms were the two main causes of death in Cyprus in 2016, the Statistical Service of Cyprus reported on Friday.

According to Cystat, 5.587 deaths of residents and non – residents were recorded in Cyprus in 2016.

Of those who died, 54% or 3.012 were male and 46% or 2.575 were female.

Diseases of the circulatory system and neoplasms were the leading causes of death with 33.1% and 23.7%, respectively, followed by the diseases of the respiratory system (8.9%), endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (6.9%), and the external causes of injury and poisoning (5.4%). Other causes of death followed with lower rates.

Cystat said that during 2016, 78.486 patients were treated and discharged from state general hospitals, slightly changed from 78.988 in 2015.

A decrease of 5.3% was recorded in the number of patients that were treated and discharged from Kyperounta and Polis Rural Hospitals, that fell to 1.481 in 2016 from 1.564 in 2015.

In 2016, the bed occupancy rate in state general hospitals stood at 73.1%, showing a slight decrease from 74.7% in 2015. The respective percentage for the rural hospitals in 2016 was 46.9%, against 51.3% in 2015.

Patients with neoplasms represented 13.3% of the total number of patients discharged from general hospitals, followed by patients that suffered injuries, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes as well as diseases of the circulatory system, representing 9.3%. Patients with diseases of the digestive system represented 8.4% and patients with diseases of the respiratory system represented 8.0%. All other disease categories accounted for 41.5%, while “Not stated” accounted for 10.2%.

In 2016 a total of 1.796.654 out-patient attendances were recorded at public medical institutions, recording a decrease of 2.5% compared to 1.841.974 in 2015. In the same year a total of 309.426 patients visited the casualty departments, compared to 314.091 patients in 2015, recording a slight fall of 1.5%.