France records 1,000 more deaths than expected due to record heatwave

France recorded 1,000 more deaths than expected during the scorching heat wave that swept Europe, the public health agency said on Sunday (28), warning that the real number would likely be higher.

Detailing its preliminary count of excess deaths, Santé Publique said the majority of fatalities involved elderly people and that it expected the death rate to rise as more information became available about deaths in residential and care homes.

Europeans face record temperatures during a heat wave that has been linked to dozens of deaths - crippling energy production and damaging infrastructure.

Scientists said the heatwave, which began on June 20, was the worst recorded in Europe, where the climate changes more quickly than the global average.

Decrease in heat
The heat wave has been moving towards eastern Europe. But while the French meteorological agency said the extreme heat had eased across most of the country, some areas in the northeast were still under alert.

The Minister of Health, Stephanie Rist, told the newspaper La Tribune that the impact of the heat wave could persist for up to 10 days after temperatures ease.

"The episode is not finished," she told broadcaster BFM.

Most of the deaths involved people aged 65 and over, although the health effects of extreme heat affected all categories of the population, Santé Publique said.

Why is air conditioning rare in Europe even in extreme heat?

Source: CNN