During the heat wave that hit France in August, almost 400 more people died than normal, the French Public Health Agency reported. The group of people over 75 years old in particular are often victims.
The nearly 400 additional deaths increased the French mortality rate by more than 5 percent. The impact on mortality varies from department to department and depends on the duration (number of heat days) and the intensity (temperature) of the heat wave. The period in which the warm days occur and the composition of the population also play a role.
The estimate is still preliminary in several respects. For example, they are based on incomplete mortality figures. The number also does not indicate exactly how many people died from the effects of the heat wave. For the time being, it only indicates to what extent the number of deaths exceeded normal expectations in that period.
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