A report released on July 22 by Santé publique France, the French public health agency, stated that during the heatwave that swept across France from June 17 to July 2, the country recorded at least 5,764 all-cause excess deaths, an increase of 36% above the normal expected level.
Excess death refers to the difference between the estimated total number of deaths in a specific location and period and the estimated number of deaths in the absence of a health crisis. "All-cause" means that no distinction is made by specific cause of death, covering all death cases.
The report said that this heatwave affected 92 departments in France, covering 98.5% of the population of metropolitan France. Excess deaths were concentrated mainly between June 25 and 27, accounting for about 56% of the total. Except for the population under 15 years of age, excess deaths were observed in all other age groups, with a more pronounced increase among those aged 45 and above. At least 3,719 excess deaths were recorded among people aged 75 and over, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the provisional total.
By region, the Île-de-France region, where Paris is located, was the most severely affected, with nearly 2,000 excess deaths, an increase of 81.2%. Increases in deaths were observed in all types of settings, including hospitals, homes, and nursing homes.
Santé publique France noted that this excess mortality reflects the significant impact of extreme heat intensity and prolonged exposure to such high temperatures on public health. The available data come from civil registration records of approximately 5,000 municipalities, covering about 84% of deaths nationwide, without medical cause-of-death information, and are used only for estimating national-level results. France will release a full assessment after the summer monitoring period ends.
The report said that this heatwave was long-lasting, occurred early in the season, and exceeded the intensity of the August 2003 heatwave. June 24 and 25 became the hottest two days on record in France, with the 24-hour national average temperature reaching 30 degrees Celsius for the first time. Maximum temperatures in Bordeaux, Paris, and many other places exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.
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