1,300 heat related deaths in Europe
Since 21 June, more than 1,300 excess deaths linked to high temperatures have been recorded in Europe, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sunday on social media platform X. When heat ceases to be just weather and becomes a killer, health systems face an invisible enemy.
Tedros calls heat stress the "silent killer" — and it is not a metaphor. Europe, the fastest warming continent, is today unprepared for temperatures that were recently considered anomalies. Schools are closing, power grids are strained, and the death toll rises daily.
Excess mortality is the difference between the actual total number of deaths in a given period and location and the number of deaths expected under normal conditions. Tedros said in his post: "150 million people are currently exposed to extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are closed, and power grids are overloaded." He warned that European homes, workplaces and schools are not built for such temperatures.
Europe is the fastest warming continent on Earth, with temperatures rising at twice the global average. "Because of climate change and global warming, the once in a generation phenomenon — a period of intense heat — is now occurring almost annually," he said.
WHO is working with its members and partners to address the health challenges of extreme heat, focusing on preparedness, prevention and strengthening health system response. Tedros called on European countries to "implement heat health action plans" as part of a broader programme to protect health from climate change.
Excess mortality is a key indicator used by epidemiologists to assess the impact of extreme events on public health. Unlike direct causes of death such as heatstroke, excess mortality accounts for indirect consequences: exacerbation of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, reduced access to healthcare amid system overload. European buildings, designed for a temperate climate, lack air conditioning, making them particularly vulnerable. According to WHO, heat has already forced school closures in several countries, and rising electricity demand threatens blackouts. Tedros stressed that adaptation measures must be urgent, as heatwaves become the new normal.
As reported by CCTV+, WHO continues to monitor the situation and urges European governments to take immediate action to protect the most vulnerable groups.
