Around 1,000 additional deaths than average have been recorded in France during the country's current heatwave, the National Health Authority reported on Sunday.
Around 85% of the recorded deaths were among people aged 65 and over, Santé publique France said. It noted that the data collected since June 24 was provisional and had not yet been fully evaluated.
The increase in deaths in private households was particularly striking, at around 40% higher than usual. This particularly affected the Île-de-France Paris metropolitan region.
The evaluation was based on electronic death certificates, which capture only part of nationwide mortality, meaning the actual figures were likely to be higher, the agency said. In addition, health impacts of extreme heat often occur with a delay.
After days of exceptional heat, temperatures fell again across large parts of France on Sunday. In the authorities' assessment, the heatwave was already more intense than the one in summer 2003.
