Heat in Europe resulted in more than 1,300 deaths above expectations, says WHO
The director general of the WHO (World Health Organization), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated this Sunday (28) that the heat wave in Europe resulted in more than 1,300 deaths above expectations since last Sunday (21).
Tedros also said that the phenomenon, which occurs "once in a generation" is happening annually on the continent, which does not have structures to withstand high temperatures.
He highlighted that, at the moment, 150 million people are being impacted by extreme heat, classifying the phenomenon as a "silent killer".
According to the publication, the WHO is working with its Member States and partners to face health threats, with prevention measures and strengthening the region's health system. Furthermore, it also encourages European countries to implement a climate change health protection agenda.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average. Right now 150 million people are living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are closed, grids are buckling.
Driven by climate change and global warming, the phenomenon of the...
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 28, 2026
Deaths in France
Earlier, France's public health agency reported that at least a thousand more deaths than expected were recorded due to the heat wave, which began last Saturday (20).
The agency noted that most of the fatalities involved elderly people and that it expected the death rate to increase as more information became available about deaths in residential and nursing home settings.
The phenomenon is considered by scientists to be the worst ever recorded in Europe, which faces climate change faster 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.
(With information from Makini Brice, Reuters)
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Source: CNN