At least 5,764 excess deaths in France were recorded during the record-breaking heatwave last month, marking the country's deadliest heat event since 2003.
Between 17 June and 2 July, 21,674 people died compared with 15,910 deaths that would normally have been expected over the same period, according to a bulletin published Wednesday by France's public health agency, Santé publique France. Unlike previous heatwaves, the excess mortality extended well beyond the oldest age groups.
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The agency described the toll as the highest excess all-cause mortality recorded during a heatwave since 2003, although still below the 2003 heatwave that killed nearly 15,000 people in France.
June’s heatwave in Europe is exceptional not only because of early timing but also by its intensity and duration, which exposed nearly all of France’s population to extreme temperatures while schools and workplaces were still fully active.
For the first time, excess all-cause mortality — not yet clearly linked to the heat — was observed across every age group from age 15 upward, “demonstrating the exceptional intensity and prolonged duration of population-wide heat exposure,” Santé publique France said, describing the finding as unprecedented.
People aged 75 and over accounted for around two-thirds of the provisional death toll, with at least 3,719 excess deaths, but the agency also estimated significant increases among younger adults.
Deaths increased across every setting — hospitals, private homes and nursing homes — with almost half occurring in hospitals.
The bulletin argues that the findings underline the need to strengthen prevention measures before temperatures reach crisis levels.
"These impacts highlight the importance of implementing management and prevention measures to reduce the impact of heat on the population without waiting for health impacts to become apparent," the agency said.
Preliminary data from Western European countries in early July estimated over 4,000 additional deaths during the heatwave.
At the end of June, WHO Europe called on governments to recognise extreme heat as a health crisis and strengthen health system preparedness.
