BERLIN: Germany recorded an estimated 15,800 heat-related deaths this summer, the highest figure ever documented in the country, as a series of severe heatwaves swept across Europe, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said on Thursday.
People aged over 75 were the worst affected, with the national public health institute estimating that about 9,600 heat-related deaths occurred during a single week in late June, when temperatures across Germany climbed above 40°C.
A further 4,000 heat-related deaths were recorded between late July and mid-August, according to the institute’s latest assessment.
The figures come after an exceptionally hot and dry summer across much of Europe, where prolonged heatwaves have increased heat-related mortality, fuelled wildfires, damaged crops and contributed to falling water levels in several major rivers.
The RKI said it has been monitoring heat-related mortality using statistical models for the past decade. Its previous highest estimate was 8,900 heat-related deaths in 2018.
A separate report published by a medical publication had previously estimated that around 10,000 people died as a result of heat in Germany in 1994.
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Extreme heat can cause death directly through conditions such as heatstroke, but health authorities say it is more commonly fatal when combined with pre-existing medical conditions.
Cardiovascular, respiratory and kidney diseases can all become significantly more dangerous during periods of extreme heat.
The RKI estimates heat-related mortality through statistical analysis, comparing the number of deaths recorded during summer weeks affected by heatwaves with mortality levels during weeks without comparable extreme temperatures.
The latest figures highlight the growing health impact of extreme heat as Europe experiences increasingly frequent and intense periods of exceptionally high temperatures.
