According to Santé Publique France, about 1,000 additional deaths occurred in France from Wednesday to Saturday as the country experienced record high temperatures. The national public health agency reported that the number of deaths surpassed the daily average for previous months, with the highest tolls concentrated in the western and central regions of the country.
The majority of the deceased, around 85 percent, were aged 65 or older. However, there were increases in mortality across all age groups. Evaluating the complete impact of the heat wave may require months, but current figures are significantly lower compared to the 15,000 deaths during the 2003 heat wave.
Santé Publique France observed that deaths surged in hospitals and nursing homes, with a noted rise in fatalities at home, particularly in the Paris area. This highlights the need for measures to assist isolated individuals, especially in densely urbanized areas.
Élisabeth Charrier, head of the national funeral federation, informed the French newspaper Le Figaro about the “high activity” reported in the country’s mortuaries. She noted that the two facilities within Paris city limits have reached full capacity over the past two days.
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