In a French hospital.

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Frederic DIDES

Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the year 2020 was marked by an increase in mortality.

According to a provisional report from INSEE, unveiled this Friday, France recorded 9% more deaths this year, compared to 2019.

In 2020, 667,400 deaths, all causes combined, were recorded in France, this is 9% more than in 2018 or 2019, or 53,900 additional deaths.

According to INSEE, the two epidemic waves did not have the same consequences, "with a first wave in March-April stronger and shorter than the second (from September)", explains the national institute of statistics and economic studies.

Seasonal flu that's less deadly than usual

The coronavirus in particular has skyrocketed mortality with an excess mortality of 27,300 people (+ 27%) between March and April, 1,100 people between May and August and 33,000 people (+ 16%) between September and December.

These surpluses result from Covid-19 patients, but also "fewer or more deaths associated with this particular period with, for example, a protective effect of confinement on certain causes of death," notes INSEE.

On the other hand, the seasonal flu caused a lower excess mortality than in past years: "7,500 fewer deaths occurred in January and February 2020 compared to the same period of 2019," adds the Institute of Statistics.

Not surprisingly, the regions with the most significant increase are those most affected by the coronavirus epidemic: Ile-de-France and Grand-Est.

But the regions hit by the epidemic have not been the same from wave to wave.

During the first wave, Ile-de-France and Grand-Est were the most affected "with excess mortality of + 90% and + 55% respectively compared to the same period of 2019".

On the other hand, since September, the regions with the highest excess mortality are Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (+ 38%), Bourgogne Franche-Comté (+ 26%) and Provence-Alpes-Côte d. 'Azure (+ 21%).

No more mortality among those under 65

Thus, throughout the year, it is Ile-de-France (+ 18%), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (+ 14%), Grand-Est (+ 13%), Bourgogne Franche-Comté (+ 11%) and Hauts-de-France (+ 10%) which observed the most excess mortality.

Conversely, seven regions have had no or had few additional deaths (less than 5%): Brittany, New Aquitaine, Pays-de-La Loire and Occitanie, Martinique, Guyana and Reunion.

INSEE notes that there was no particular increase in mortality in 2020 for those under 65 (+ 2% between 50 and 64, - 1% between 25 and 49 and - 6% for under 25).

The increase was observed only among people aged 65 and over and evenly, with an additional 10% regardless of the age group, decrypts INSEE.

On the sex side, the increase in mortality is a little more marked for men (+ 10%) than for women (+ 8%). 

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