According to preliminary data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday, approximately 270,000 deaths were recorded in Germany during the first quarter of 2026. The influence of respiratory diseases, which is usually more pronounced during winter months, was relatively low during this period. Overall, death numbers generally hovered around the average levels seen in the previous four years, or even below them.
The most notable exception was the surge in deaths in mid-January, which showed increases of seven and eight percent in calendar weeks two and three, respectively. Comparing the months to the average of 2022 to 2025, January saw a three percent increase, February increased by one percent, while March recorded a decrease of eleven percent. Furthermore, other indicators, which the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) published to contextualize this year’s flu wave, remained at or below levels seen in previous pre-seasons.
The EuroMOMO network monitors mortality trends, comparing developments across Europe using its own projection system and excess mortality model, which accounts for incomplete reporting. For the first quarter of 2026, most European countries observed significant deviations from expected patterns, particularly at the beginning of the year. For instance, France and Spain reported “high excess mortality” during January, while Portugal even recorded “very high excess mortality”. Many other countries also showed moderate deviations from typical patterns extending through March 2026.