Paris, France. France has recorded 1,000 excess deaths during the heatwave sweeping Europe, public health agency Sante Publique said on Sunday, adding that the true figure was likely to be higher. The agency said most fatalities involved older people and that the mortality rate was expected to rise as more information becomes available.
Preliminary death toll
Sante Publique said its figure was a preliminary count of excess deaths linked to the heatwave. It said additional information on deaths in residential care and homes was still being gathered.
Impact across Europe
Europe has been experiencing extreme heat that has been linked to dozens of deaths, while also disrupting power generation and damaging infrastructure. Scientists have said the heatwave, which began on June 20, was the worst recorded in Europe, where the climate is changing faster than the global average.
Conditions in France
The heatwave has been moving east, and France’s weather agency said extreme heat had diminished in most parts of the country. However, some areas in northeastern France remained under a heatwave advisory.
Health warning remains
Health Minister Stephanie Rist told La Tribune that the effects of the heatwave could continue for as long as 10 days after temperatures subside. “The episode is not finished,” she told broadcaster BFM.
Older people most affected
Sante Publique said most of the deaths involved people aged 65 and older, although the health effects of the extreme heat were affecting all categories of the population.
