Europe heatwave claims over 1,300 lives, WHO reports

Europe is grappling with a deadly heatwave, with the World Health Organization reporting over 1,300 additional deaths since June 21. Millions across the continent are enduring extreme temperatures, causing widespread disruption including school closures and immense pressure on electricity grids.

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Over 1,300 additional deaths have been registered since June 21 due to rising temperatures in Europe.

France alone has seen approximately 1,000 excess deaths since Wednesday, according to health officials. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described heat stress as a "silent killer," noting that European buildings are ill-equipped to handle such temperatures. He warned that heatwaves, once a generational event, are now occurring almost annually due to climate change.

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Millions of people across the continent are currently living under extreme heat, with hundreds having died, schools closed, and electricity grids under immense pressure.

The WHO is collaborating with member states to address the health risks associated with severe heatwaves, focusing on preparedness, prevention, and strengthening health system responses. Ghebreyesus urged European countries to enact health action plans to protect their populations amidst escalating global warming, emphasizing that Europe is warming at twice the global average.

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Heat stress is often called the silent killer, while European homes, workplaces, and schools were not built to withstand these temperatures.