France registers 1,000 additional deaths attributed to heatwave

France has registered an estimated 1,000 excess deaths in the past few days, with health authorities attributing the rise to the severe heatwave that gripped the country. The national health agency, Santé Publique France, indicated that daily fatalities surged during the peak of the heatwave, particularly on June 24 and 25, which were the hottest days on record.

During these two days, an average of 1,400 deaths were recorded daily, a stark contrast to the average of 1,000 deaths per day in April and May. This represents a significant increase, with the agency noting that the figures are provisional and based on electronic death certificates, suggesting the final toll could be higher. The increase was most pronounced in regions under red alert, including Paris, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Brittany.

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Although this heatwave is comparable from a meteorological point of view, the situation is not the same from a health point of view and there will not be the same mortality.

Health Minister Stéphanie Rist stated that while the current heatwave is meteorologically comparable to the devastating 2003 heatwave, which caused 15,000 deaths, the health situation is different. She anticipates a lower mortality rate this time, partly due to adaptations in healthcare facilities since 2003. However, emergency services have reported a 20% to 40% increase in consultations and hospital admissions linked to the high temperatures, and the president of the association of emergency doctors warned that mortality figures could worsen as the summer progresses.

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mortality figures can worsen in the coming days.