More than 60 000 people died due to extreme heat in Europe

In a study published on 10 July 2023, a team of researchers from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) have reported 61 672 deaths caused by the extreme heatwave that hit Europe from 30 May to 4 September 2022.

Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal are the four countries with the highest mortality rates. The 2022 summer was the hottest of the 21st century.

Scientists are calling on governments to take the necessary measures to meet the extreme heatwave so as to limit the number of victims in the coming years.