Belgium Saw 39% Excess Mortality During Heatwave, Study Finds

Belgium experienced an excess mortality rate of 39% during a recent heatwave, resulting in an additional 1,222 deaths between June 18 and June 29. Preliminary findings from a study by the insurer and risk analyst Risk Management Group (RMG) revealed that over a thousand additional deaths occurred during this period.

The majority of these excess deaths, 530, were among individuals aged 85 and older. However, RMG also reported an increase in mortality within the under-65 age group. The study indicated that the daily death toll in Belgium during this heatwave reached its highest point since the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to RMG, this level of excess mortality is unprecedented in Belgium. The country experienced its hottest day of the heatwave on June 26, with temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius in some areas. This extreme heat led the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium to issue a red alert for the third time in its history in the provinces of Liège and Limburg. The intense heat also caused disruptions, including the cancellation of up to 100 daily train services on non-air-conditioned trains and the suspension of bus lines without air conditioning in several regions. Tourist attractions, such as the Atomium in Brussels, were also temporarily closed.