European countries recorded more than 10,000 excess deaths during the intense heatwave that swept across the continent in late June, according to official data. The EuroMOMO network, which receives support from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization, reported that over 9,000 of these excess deaths occurred among individuals aged 65 and above.
Extreme heat can lead to heat stroke and exacerbate existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, making older populations particularly vulnerable. "To have this kind of excess at this time of year is unusual. It’s really high," Lasse Vestergaard, Chief Physician at Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut, which hosts EuroMOMO, told Reuters. He added, "It is difficult to explain this high excess mortality by anything but the extreme heat."
Scientists have stated that the late-June heatwave, which shattered temperature records in countries like France, Spain, and the United Kingdom, would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change, which is increasing the frequency and intensity of such events.
The reported figures, compiled from national mortality statistics across 27 European nations, encompass excess deaths from all causes during the week of June 22 to 28, the period when the heatwave reached its peak. Crucially, scientists noted the absence of other significant contributing factors, such as widespread COVID-19 outbreaks, that could explain the spike to 10,650 excess deaths during that specific week. In the eight weeks preceding this period, the combined mortality for these European countries was, on average, around 500 deaths per week below typical levels.
The heatwave significantly disrupted daily life, leading to power supply issues, school closures, and record-breaking temperatures. While EuroMOMO does not provide country-specific excess death figures, it highlighted France and Belgium as the only nations experiencing "very high excess" mortality in the last week of June. Belgium's public health institute, Sciensano, reported that its excess mortality during this heatwave was the highest recorded since the year 2000.
Separately, a study published in early July estimated that approximately 2,700 people died from heat-related causes in England and Wales alone during heatwaves in May and June. Findings from Imperial College London, the UK Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine indicated that 42% of these deaths were attributable to the additional heat contributed by global warming. The EuroMOMO data may be subject to revision as more comprehensive information becomes available in the coming weeks.