More than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across Europe during a severe late-June heatwave, with most victims aged 65 and above.
Europe’s Record Heatwave Killed Over 10,000, Report says
More than 10,000 deaths were recorded across Europe during last month’s record-breaking heatwave, according to a EuroMOMO report backed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the WHO. Of these, no fewer than 9,000 victims were aged 65 and above.
The data, covering 27 European countries between June 22 and 28, showed the heatwave hit France, Spain, and the UK especially hard, Reuters reports. The 10,650 excess deaths spanned all causes, not just heat-related ones, as extreme heat often worsens cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.
Lasse Vestergaard of Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut called the spike unusual, noting no COVID-19 outbreak occurred during the period to explain it. Before the heatwave, mortality across the countries averaged 500 deaths per week below typical levels. France and Belgium recorded “very high excess” mortality in the final week of June.
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