Austria sees slight increase in deaths during late July/early August heatwave

Austria experienced a slight increase in mortality during the late July and early August period, coinciding with a significant heatwave. In the 31st calendar week, from July 27 to August 2, the country registered 1638 deaths. This figure represents nearly a 10 percent rise compared to the average number of deaths recorded during the same week over the preceding three years.

Statistik Austria, the national statistics office, reported these figures on Thursday. While the increase is notable, the office emphasized that the full extent of heat-related excess mortality is not yet definitively calculable from this data alone. This suggests that while the heatwave likely contributed to the rise in deaths, other factors may also be involved, or the precise impact is still under analysis.

For context, the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) had previously calculated approximately 395 heat-related deaths following the first major heatwave in June. The current figures indicate that the mortality increase observed at the end of July and beginning of August, while significant, is below the high level recorded after the June heatwave. This suggests a potentially less severe impact from the later heat event, though a full assessment is pending.