BRUSSELS — European countries recorded more than 10,000 excess deaths during a record-breaking heatwave in late June, with more than 9,000 among people aged 65 and older, according to mortality data from EuroMOMO, a network supported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization.
The data covered the week of June 22-28, when extreme temperatures peaked across France, Spain, Britain and other parts of western Europe. EuroMOMO estimated 10,650 excess deaths across 27 countries during the week, although the figures include deaths from all causes and may be revised as additional mortality data become available.
Lasse Vestergaard, chief physician at Denmark's Statens Serum Institut, which hosts EuroMOMO, said the scale of the increase was highly unusual for the time of year.
"To have this kind of excess at this time of year is unusual. It's really high," Vestergaard said. He added that the extreme heat was difficult to distinguish from other possible explanations for such a sharp rise in mortality, while researchers found no other major factors, such as a significant COVID-19 outbreak, to account for the increase.
Extreme heat can cause heatstroke and worsen cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, with older people particularly vulnerable. The World Health Organization has said Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent and warned that extreme heat is placing increasing pressure on health and social-care systems.
National figures also showed substantial mortality increases. France's public health agency estimated 5,764 excess deaths during its June 17-July 2 heatwave, when almost the entire mainland population was exposed to extreme temperatures. The agency said the figure represented a 36.2% increase over expected mortality and was the highest excess mortality recorded during a French heatwave since 2003.
EuroMOMO said France and Belgium recorded the highest levels of excess mortality in Europe during the final week of June. Belgium's public health institute, Sciensano, said its excess mortality was the highest recorded during a heatwave since monitoring began in 2000.
Scientists have also linked the intensity of the late-June heatwave to human-caused climate change, saying such extreme heat would have been virtually impossible without global warming. The EuroMOMO figures remain subject to revision as countries update their mortality records.
