26% excess deaths between the start of March and mid-April 2020: densely populated communes the most affected

The health crisis linked to by the spread of COVID-19 had an impact on the total number of deaths. Compared to the average number of deaths during the equivalent period between 2015 and 2019, 22,140 excess deaths from all causes were recorded between 2 March and 19 April 2020. This represented a 26% increase in the level of excess mortality. The number of excess deaths rose sharply from the week beginning 16 March and then began to fall from the week beginning 6 April. A higher percentage of the most elderly people was recorded in the excess deaths but men and women were affected equally.

Île-de-France and Grand Est were the regions most heavily impacted by this excess mortality. The number of deaths rose more steeply in densely populated regions even though the population in those regions is younger on average.