In the spring of 2020, the number of deaths due to COVID-19 started to rise rapidly. “In some parts of Europe, deaths were exceptionally high, when compared to the average mortality of previous years”. Hence “the idea of assessing the impact of the pandemic by looking at the excess mortality, i.e. the increase in the total number of deaths, from any cause, compared with deaths in the previous years”. According to a Eurostat report released today, “in total, over 450,000 additional deaths occurred in the EU between March and November 2020 compared with the same period in 2016–2019”. During the rapid spread of Covid-19, “excess mortality in the EU reached its first peak in April 2020, with an increase of 25% compared to the average of the same month over 2016-2019”. Between May and July, “a lower level of excess mortality was registered, while yet another surge in mortality started in August–September with the next wave of the pandemic”. Excess mortality in the EU “was 8% above the average in September, +17% in October and +40% in November, with the indicator rising in all EU Member States”. “While an excess mortality was observed throughout Europe during the whole year – Eurostat points out – the peak of deaths” was reached “with a varying intensity from country to country”. Further analysis and charts here.