Over 1,300 excess deaths linked to Europe heatwave, says WHO

Geneva/Paris (Web Desk/Agencies): More than 1,300 access deaths have been linked to the ongoing heatwave that has swept across Europe since June 21, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 150 million people are currently enduring dangerously high temperatures.

Ghebreyesus noted that the extreme weather has forced the closure of schools in some regions and placed significant strain on electricity networks.

He added that the WHO is working alongside its member states to enhance emergency preparedness and strengthen healthcare systems, while urging European governments to put comprehensive heat health action plans into effect.

Since the middle of June, temperatures have climbed above 40 degrees Celsius in several countries, including France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom (UK), with the prolonged heatwave continuing to impact vast areas of Europe.

The WHO has warned that climate change is driving an increase in both the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events, making such dangerous weather episodes more common and more severe.