France recorded no less than 5,700 more deaths than usual during a historic heatwave last month, the general public health agency said Wednesday, sharply increasing its estimates of the dreaded toll from record-shattering temperatures.
Public Health France said regions hit by the warmth from June 17 to July 2 recorded 21,674 deaths from all causes. But and not using a heatwave, those self same regions would have been expected to have seen far fewer deaths, or 15,910, based on statistical modeling using data from previous years, it said.
The difference between expected and actual deaths — a complete of 5,764 — are due to this fact considered to be “excess” deaths in the course of the heatwave, the agency said.
It said the surplus mortality, with 36% more deaths that will normally have been expected, was the best from any heatwave since 2003. A historic heatwave that 12 months caused an estimated 15,000 deaths in France.
France registered its hottest-ever days on June 24 and June 25 this 12 months — with a national average of 30 C (86 F) — in addition to record heat at night and peak temperatures that soared well above 40 C (104 F) in lots of places.
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Just over half of the unexpected deaths occurred during and within the immediate wake of that hottest period, over three days from June 25 to June 27, the general public health agency said.
The Paris region appears to have been hardest hit, recording 1,999 unexpected deaths — around 80% greater than would otherwise have been expected and not using a heatwave.
Nearly half of the greater than 21,600 individuals who died passed away in hospitals. A few third died at home and the remaining were mostly deaths in care homes for older people, the agency said.
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