Mortality more than 10 percent down due to mild winter

In the first quarter of this year, 35 thousand people died, 4.6 thousand fewer than in the first quarter of 2013 and 2.6 thousand fewer than in the first quarter of 2012. Two factors contributed to the lower mortality, i.e. last winter’s relatively warm weather and the mild flu epidemic. In 2012 and early 2013, mortality was higher, partly as a result of the cold winter and the flu epidemics.

The lower mortality is most noticeable in the older population. Mortality in the population aged 80 years or older was 14 percent down in the first quarter of 2014 from the first quarter of 2013.

Mortality and average temperature first quarter

Lenny Stoeldraijer