Heat linked to around 14,000 deaths in Germany so far this year

Around 14,000 people in Germany are estimated to have died in connection with periods of extreme heat so far this year, the country's public health institute said on Thursday, reported dpa.

That corresponds to almost 17 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the latest report by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on heat-related mortality, which covers the period from April 6 to August 9.

The number so far this year is already significantly higher than the totals for most entire years. Over the past decade, particularly high numbers were recorded in 2018, with an estimated 9,400 heat-related deaths, and 2019, with 7,600.

The RKI said its estimates are conservative, meaning the actual number of heat-related deaths this year could be even higher.

Last week, the institute estimated the number at 12,500. The figure can be revised retrospectively.

Most deaths among people aged 85 and over

The largest number of estimated deaths, 7,040, occurred among people aged 85 and over. Around 3,450 deaths were recorded among those aged 75 to 84 and 2,170 among people aged 65 to 74.

A severe heatwave at the end of June accounts for a large proportion of this year's estimated heat-related deaths.

Of the estimated 14,000 deaths so far this year, around 9,600 occurred in the week from June 22 to 28 alone, according to the RKI.

Temperatures approached 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of Germany during that period.