The agency reported that 21,674 people died from all causes during the two-week period.
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PARIS: France recorded more than 5,700 excess deaths during a severe heat wave that swept across the country between June 17 and July 2, according to the country’s national public health agency.
French health authorities said 5,764 excess deaths were recorded during the period, representing a 36% increase over expected mortality levels.
The agency reported that 21,674 people died from all causes during the two-week period, compared with an expected 15,910 deaths under normal conditions. Public health experts classify the difference as excess mortality associated with the heat wave.
The figures underscore the growing impact of extreme temperatures on public health. Authorities noted that the number of excess deaths recorded in just over two weeks this year exceeded the 5,722 excess deaths reported during the entire summer of the previous year.
Officials continue to monitor the effects of extreme heat as Europe faces increasingly frequent and intense heat waves linked to climate change.
More read, Researchers estimate 2,700 heat-related deaths after record UK heatwaves
Earlier, severe heatwaves during May and June may have contributed to the deaths of approximately 2,700 people in England and Wales, according to a new analysis by researchers.
The study, conducted by experts from Imperial College London, Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, estimated that around 550 deaths occurred during the May 21–29 heatwave, while an additional 2,200 deaths were linked to the June 18–28 heatwave.
Researchers said the June heatwave saw temperatures climb to 37.7 degrees Celsius, breaking a nearly 50-year record in parts of the country.
Professor Friederike Otto said most of the estimated deaths occurred during the June heatwave, warning that even healthy individuals should not assume they are immune to the dangers of extreme heat. She added that climate change is expected to make such heatwaves more frequent in the future.
