The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reports that an intense early summer heatwave in Europe is likely linked to more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21. Describing heat stress as a silent killer, Tedros noted that European infrastructure is largely ill-equipped for such extreme conditions. Data from France indicates a 40 percent increase in deaths occurring at home since mid-week, particularly among individuals aged 65 and older.
The extreme weather system has continued its shift toward the east, resulting in new temperature milestones. Germany reached a record 41.7C in Coschen, while the Czech Republic registered 41.1C in Doksany. Poland also hit an all-time high of 40.5C in Slubice. Tedros emphasized that Europe is warming at double the global average, noting that heatwaves once considered rare are now becoming annual occurrences due to climate change. He urged European nations to adopt comprehensive heat-health protection strategies to mitigate these growing risks.
