France Records 1,000 Excess Deaths In A Week Amid Brutal Heatwave, 85% Of Them Are Elderly
France Records 1,000 Excess Deaths In A Week Amid Brutal Heatwave, 85% Of Them Are Elderly Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 16:11 IST
France Records 1,000 Excess Deaths In A Week Amid Brutal Heatwave, 85% Of Them Are Elderly Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 16:11 IST Public Health France reports about 1,000 excess deaths in the record heatwave, 85 percent elderly, with Paris and Ile-de-France hardest hit and more deaths occurring at home. France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez looks at an emergency cooling bath during his visit to a fire station to review the crisis management response to the heat wave in Paris on Sunday. (Image: AFP) French health officials on Sunday said that there have been around 1,000 deaths, which is more than expected, during the record-breaking heatwave. Of the 1,000, 85% of deaths were of the elderly.
“Since June 24, approximately 1,000 additional deaths (unconsolidated figures) have been observed compared to the deaths recorded in previous months," Public Health France said in a statement. AFP reported the agency saying that areas under red alert for heat had been particularly badly affected, and 85 per cent of the deaths had been those aged 65 and over. As the intense heatwave continues to scorch France, videos have circulated of shoppers hurrying through aisles and crowding around cooling units in a desperate bid to cope with the sweltering temperatures. France has been among the countries hardest hit by the ongoing spell. Paris has recorded more days above 40 degrees Celsius this week than it did during the entire period from 1872 to 2019, highlighting the exceptional nature of the current heatwave.
AFP reported Public Health France stating that the sharpest increase in the number of deaths were of those dying at home, especially in the Ile-de-France region that includes Paris and its suburbs. “This observation serves as a reminder of the need for measures of solidarity toward people who are isolated or experiencing profound loneliness, including in highly urbanised areas," the statement said, adding that that the latest number of deaths were preliminary and were likely to be an underestimate. However, AFP reported that the heat eased across France on Sunday after days of punishing temperatures that saw the mercury rising above 40C in many areas. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Paris, France First Published: June 28, 2026, 16:05 IST News world France Records 1,000 Excess Deaths In A Week Amid Brutal Heatwave, 85% Of Them Are Elderly Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s.
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