WHO Reports Alarming Death Toll as Extreme Heatwave Scorches Europe

An extreme heatwave is sweeping across Europe. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that more than 1,300 excess deaths linked to the extreme heat have been recorded since 21 June. Tens of millions of people across Europe faced extreme temperatures over the weekend as the deadly heatwave moved eastwards across the region. Several countries reported a rising death toll from the extreme weather, with health services at risk of being overwhelmed by patients. On Sunday morning, French health authorities revealed there had been around 1,000 additional deaths above the expected norm in the country, recorded since Wednesday local time. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that “more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded since 21 June due to high temperatures in Europe”. “Heat stress is often called a ‘silent killer’ – and homes, workplaces, and schools in Europe were not designed to cope with temperatures like these,” Tedros said in a statement via social media platform X. According to AFP estimates, at least 191 million people across various European countries were expected to experience a minimum air temperature of 35 degrees Celsius on Sunday, with extreme heat forecast to blanket Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. Meanwhile, an analysis referencing forecasts from the German Meteorological Agency and 2025 population projections from the Joint Research Centre, compiled by the Austrian NGO Klimadashboard, indicated that a total of 381 million people in Europe – excluding Turkey – would be hit by temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. Tedros warned that millions of people across the European continent are currently “living in extreme heat; hundreds are dying, schools are closing, and power grids are straining under the overload”. “Fuelled by climate change and global warming, ‘once-in-a-generation’ heatwave phenomena are now appearing almost every year. Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, with the rate of temperature increase double the global average,” he noted. Tedros added that the WHO is “working with member states and partners to address the health threats from extreme heat by focusing on preparedness, prevention, and stronger health system responses”. He called on European countries to “implement heat-health action plans” as part of efforts to protect health in the face of climate change.