France Records 29 Percent Spike in Deaths During Extreme Heatwave

The updated data from Public Health France covers the period between June 22 and June 28, a timeframe defined by the hottest days ever recorded in many French cities. While the agency registered 8,973 deaths during this window, officials emphasize that this count is partial and likely to rise. The jump is particularly pronounced in private homes, where mortality increased by 91 percent, far outpacing the 37 percent rise in care homes and the 20 percent increase within hospitals.

Dr. Nicolas Gonzales, head of the emergency department at Paris-Saclay Hospital, noted that patients began arriving with heat-related complications—including heart attacks and severe dehydration—as early as June 20. The Paris region bore the brunt of the crisis, suffering a 63 percent increase in deaths week-on-week. In the capital, funeral directors report reaching capacity, with some facilities forced to turn away bodies as the logistics of burial and cremation become strained by the sheer volume of casualties.