Insee Focus · April 2021 · n° 231

Deaths in 2020: greater increase for people born abroad than for those born in France, especially in March-April

In 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths in France rose sharply: +9% compared with 2019, all causes of death combined. Deaths of people born abroad increased twice as much as those of people born in France: +17% compared to +8%.

In March and April 2020, all causes combined, deaths of people born abroad increased by 49 % compared to the same period in 2019, compared to +23 % for deaths of people born in France. The increase was the highest for people born in Africa (+55% for deaths of people born in the Maghreb, +117% for those born in another African country) or in Asia (+92%).

Between September and December 2020, deaths of people born abroad also increased more than those of people born in France, but the difference was smaller than during the first wave: +26 % compared with the same period in 2019, compared to +16 % for deaths of people born in France. Contrary to the first wave, the increase was more marked for people born in the Maghreb (+36%) than for those born in another African country (+29%) or in Asia (+33%).

Deaths were most frequent at older ages. However, during both waves, they also increased significantly before the age of 65 for people born abroad.