Germany reports record 15,800 heat-related deaths this summer
A public health institute says people over 75 were the worst affected, with around 9,600 heat-linked deaths recorded in one week when Germany experienced temperatures above 40C.
Germany recorded a record 15,800 heat-related deaths this summer as sweltering temperatures and drought plagued much of Europe, according to the national public health institute. The worst-affected demographic were individuals over 75, with approximately 9,600 heat-linked fatalities reported in late June during a heatwave that saw temperatures surpassing 40°C.
Another 4,000 heat-related deaths occurred between late July and mid-August, the institute reported in its latest update. The institute has been collecting heat mortality data for the past decade, noting that the previous record of 8,900 heat-related deaths was set in 2018. In 1994, a separate medical publication estimated that 10,000 heat deaths occurred.
Extreme heat can directly cause death through heatstroke, but more often results in fatalities compounded by pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular, respiratory, or kidney diseases. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) utilizes statistical methods to estimate heat-related mortality by comparing deaths during summer weeks with and without heatwaves.
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