European heat waves during the summer resulted in more than 10,000 excess deaths across the continent, according to data from EuroMOMO, a mortality monitoring network supported by the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The spike in mortality was concentrated among individuals aged 65 and older and occurred during a period of record-breaking temperatures in late June.
Mortality Data and Heat Impact
This figure represents a significant departure from the preceding eight weeks, during which mortality rates remained approximately 500 deaths per week below typical levels.
Lasse Vestergaard, a chief physician at Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut, which hosts the EuroMOMO project, stated that the excess mortality is difficult to attribute to factors other than the extreme heat. While the data captures all-cause mortality, health officials noted that there were no significant concurrent COVID-19 outbreaks or other major health events during that specific timeframe to account for the spike.
Regional Variations in Excess Deaths
The impact of the heat wave was not uniform across the continent. According to EuroMOMO, France and Belgium were the only nations to report "very high excess" mortality during the final week of June.
- Belgium: The national public health institute, Sciensano, reported that excess mortality during this period reached its highest level for any heat wave since records began in 2000.
- United Kingdom: A study involving Imperial College London, the U.K. Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine estimated that 2,700 heat-related deaths occurred in England and Wales during the May and June heat waves. Researchers attributed 42% of those deaths directly to the increased intensity of the heat caused by human-induced climate change.
Public Health Risks for Vulnerable Populations
Extreme heat poses significant health risks, primarily through heat stroke and the exacerbation of pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Older adults are identified as the most vulnerable demographic, accounting for more than 9,000 of the 10,000 excess deaths recorded during the late June peak.
Scientific consensus, including findings from the World Weather Attribution initiative, suggests that heat waves of this intensity in Western Europe are becoming more frequent and severe due to global warming. The June event, which disrupted power grids and closed schools across France, Spain, and the U.K., is considered a clear example of the changing climate’s impact on public health. Future revisions to EuroMOMO data are possible as national mortality registries continue to finalize their reports.
Keep reading