France’s prolonged run of extreme temperatures has been linked to more than 7,300 excess deaths since the start of the hot-weather period, according to figures released by the country’s public health authorities.
The latest figures include 1,243 excess deaths recorded between July 3 and July 22, when France experienced another major heatwave. That brings the provisional total for the year to around 7,300 deaths above the number normally expected.
The figures underline the scale of the health crisis created by this summer’s exceptional temperatures. Authorities have recorded several periods of extreme heat since late spring, with temperatures reaching unusually high levels across large parts of the country.
The first major heatwave produced an even larger increase in mortality. France recorded 5,764 excess deaths between June 17 and July 2, according to previously released public-health data.
Older people have been particularly vulnerable. During the July heatwave, people aged over 75 accounted for almost three-quarters of the additional deaths, according to the latest figures. Deaths increased both in private homes and in healthcare settings, highlighting the difficulty of protecting vulnerable people during prolonged periods of extreme heat.
The figures are described as provisional because excess mortality does not mean that every recorded death was directly caused by heat. Instead, the measure compares the number of deaths during a particular period with the number that would normally have been expected.
France has experienced an exceptional number of heatwave days this year. The country has already gone through five heatwaves since spring, with temperatures remaining extreme for a record number of days.
The situation has also exposed wider concerns about France’s ability to protect people from increasingly severe heat. Experts have pointed to factors including housing conditions, access to cooling and pressure on hospitals, particularly in densely populated urban areas such as the Paris region.
Health officials are expected to provide a more detailed assessment later in the year. For now, the provisional numbers offer a stark indication of how heavily France has been affected by this summer’s extreme weather.
