Press release No. 055 of 13 February 2024
WIESBADEN – 95,206 people died in Germany in January 2024, according to extrapolated figures of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This corresponds roughly to the 2020 to 2023 median for that month (+1%). An examination of individual calendar weeks reveals that the figures were below the corresponding comparative value in the first half of the month (-7% and -2% in Weeks 1 and 2), and above it in the second half of the month (+4% and +7% in Weeks 3 and 4). Alongside this development, the spread of respiratory infections increased during the month of January. According to the Weekly Influenza Report of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the criteria indicating an influenza wave have been met since Week 50 of last year. Influenza waves are often accompanied by higher mortality figures. When comparing with previous years, it must also be noted that mortality figures at the start of years 2021 to 2023 were markedly higher at times, coinciding with Covid-19 waves or flu waves.
