INSEE reported a 9% increase in deaths in France in 2020, which is not fully linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus epidemic requires, the year 2020 was marked by a notable increase in mortality in France. According to a provisional report from INSEE unveiled on Friday January 15, the country recorded 9% more deaths compared to 2019 and 2018.
There are 667,400 deaths in 2020, compared to 613,500 in 2019, or 53,900 additional deaths. An increase which mainly concerns those over 65 and the regions most affected by the pandemic, such as Île-de-France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or the Grand-Est.
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 polling institute.
Significant excess mortality in the spring
Indeed, the coronavirus notably increased the death rate between March and April, with a surplus of 27,300 people (an increase of 27%), 1,100 people between May and August, and 33,000 people (more 16%) between September and December. Increases resulting 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"Like the seasonal flu, which caused 7,500 fewer deaths in January and February 2020 compared to last year.
But this surplus cannot be attributed entirely to the Covid-19 epidemic. "Some of these additional deaths can be explained by structural changes", due to the increase in the French population and its aging, recalled Valérie Roux, head of the demography department at Insee, as noted The world.
