Summary

The decline in mortality recorded at the civil registry offices participating in the surveillance (70% of national mortality), which began in week 8, continued through weeks 9 and 10 (February 23 to March 8). (Figures 1 and 2). However, the number of deaths observed in week 10 remains significantly higher than the expected number. The decline in mortality is observed among people aged 65 and older. In week 10, mortality also decreased in most regions, although the number of deaths remained significantly higher than expected in the regions of Brittany, Aquitaine, Poitou-Charentes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées, PACA, Rhône-Alpes, Champagne-Ardenne, Burgundy, and Franche-Comté (Figures 3 and 4).Over the first 10 weeks of 2015, winter mortality was 18% higher than the expected mortality calculated based on the previous 8 years, representing an estimated excess of 13,500 deaths (including 11,400 deaths since the start of the influenza epidemic in week 3). Influenza is known to contribute significantly to excess mortality among older adults, although it is not possible to specify its exact share in the excess observed this season. These initial estimates should be treated with caution, as the episode is not yet over and the data are not yet consolidated due to the usual delays in reporting. In Europe, mortality is also declining in the 10 countries affected by this episode of increased mortality. Across Europe, excess mortality from all causes is estimated at 85,000 people of all ages. Following a decrease in the number of electronically certified deaths recorded in week 9, figures for weeks 10 and 11 are stable (Figure 5).