Key Points

• An increase in mortality has been observed since November 2021 across all data sources available to Santé publique France for analyzing mortality trends: an increase in the number of deaths from all causes (INSEE data), the number of deaths with COVID-19 listed among the medical causes of death (electronic death certificate data), the number of deaths of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections (SIVIC data), and the number of deaths of residents with SARS-CoV-2 infections in long-term care facilities (SurvESMS data).

• The increase in mortality during this period was particularly evident among people aged 60 and older.

• The number of deaths without a mention of COVID-19 remained stable during this period. This observation supports the conclusion that the COVID-19 epidemic has been the primary contributor to the rise in mortality observed since November 2021.

• The rise in mortality follows the very sharp increase in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations recorded since the start of the fifth wave of the epidemic in November 2021 (S45-2021).