Adedokun Waliyu 
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday that more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded across Europe since June 21 in connection with the record-breaking heatwave affecting much of the continent.
Tens of millions of people have been enduring extreme temperatures over the weekend as the deadly heatwave continues to move eastwards, with several countries reporting rising death tolls and health services warning that they are under increasing pressure.
On Sunday morning, French health authorities announced that around 1,000 more deaths than expected had been recorded in the country since Wednesday.
Across Europe, “more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded since 21 June linked to high temperatures in Europe,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.
“Heat stress is often called the ‘silent killer’ – and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures,” he said.
At least 191 million people are forecast to experience temperatures of 35°C or higher on Sunday across Europe, with the most intense heat expected in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, according to AFP estimates.
A total of 381 million people across Europe, excluding Turkey, are expected to experience temperatures above 30°C, based on forecasts from the German Meteorological Service and 2025 population projections from the Joint Research Centre compiled by Austrian NGO Klimadashboard.
Tedros warned that millions of people across Europe are currently “living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling.”
He said that, driven by climate change and global warming, what was once considered a “once-in-a-generation” heatwave is now occurring almost every year, adding that Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average.
The WHO chief said the United Nations health agency is working with its member states and partners to address the health risks posed by extreme heat by focusing on preparedness, prevention, and stronger health system responses.
He also called on European countries to implement heat health action plans as part of efforts to protect public health in the face of climate change.
