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FRANCE recorded nearly 5,800 additional deaths during a record-breaking heatwave last month, with health authorities warning that the extreme temperatures caused the highest excess mortality rate from a heatwave since 2003.
Public Health France said regions affected by the heatwave between June 17 and July 2 recorded 21,674 deaths from all causes.
Based on statistical modelling using mortality data from previous years, the agency estimated that those same regions would normally have recorded around 15,910 deaths during the period.
The difference of 5,764 deaths was classified as excess mortality linked to the heatwave, representing a 36% increase above expected deaths.
AP reported on Thursday Public Health France saying the figure marked the highest excess mortality recorded during any heatwave since 2003, when a devastating summer heatwave caused an estimated 15,000 deaths across the country.
France experienced its hottest-ever days on June 24 and June 25, with the national average temperature reaching 30°C. Several areas recorded daytime temperatures exceeding 40°C, while unusually high overnight temperatures also intensified health risks.
More than half of the excess deaths occurred during the three-day period from June 25 to June 27, immediately following the peak of the heatwave, the agency said.
“This unprecedented episode, characterised by its early onset, intensity and duration, exposed nearly the entire population to extreme heat during a period when school and work activities were still in full swing,” Public Health France said.
The Paris region was among the hardest hit areas, recording 1,999 excess deaths, approximately 80% higher than the number expected under normal conditions without a heatwave.
Funeral service operators in the capital also reported severe pressure on facilities, with some mortuaries reaching capacity and struggling to accommodate the increase in deaths.
Public Health France said nearly half of the more than 21,600 deaths recorded during the heatwave occurred in hospitals, which faced increased admissions of patients suffering from heat-related illnesses. Around one-third of deaths occurred at home, while most remaining cases involved residents of care homes, particularly elderly populations.
The latest estimate is significantly higher than the agency’s earlier assessment of around 2,000 additional deaths during the peak week from June 22 to June 28.
Health experts cautioned that the full impact of extreme heat often takes time to emerge, with many heat-related deaths not directly recorded as such on official death certificates.
Conditions such as heart attacks and other cardiovascular events can be triggered or worsened by extreme heat exposure, particularly among older people and those with existing health conditions.
Across Europe, unusually early and intense summer temperatures have contributed to more than 10,000 excess deaths at the height of the heatwave, according to emerging figures from several countries. - July 23, 2026
