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France tallies 7,300 deaths
France’s health authorities said the provisional tally of excess mortality during the summer 2026 heatwaves now stands at 7,300 deaths, with Public Health France announcing the figure on Wednesday, August 19.
“now stands at 7,300 deaths”
Public Health France said at least 1,243 excess deaths from all causes were recorded from July 3 to July 22, a period it described as less intense than the heatwave at the end of June but marked by duration and territorial spread.
The same provisional accounting adds 5,764 excess deaths recorded from June 17 to 30 and 300 deaths recorded to date during the year’s first heat wave from May 24 to 28.
Sébastien Denys, director of health-environment-work at Public Health France, said the July heat episode “was less intense, but nonetheless quite remarkable for its duration and territorial spread, since 78 departments were affected,” and he noted that all regions were affected except Corsica.
Public Health France said the tally stops on July 22 and therefore does not account for the ongoing heat wave, with the final number of deaths caused by heatwaves expected to be published only in October.
Who is most affected
Public Health France said almost three-quarters of the 1,243 excess deaths in the July 3 to July 22 period involved people aged 75 and over, describing them as more vulnerable because they often suffer from comorbidities.
Sébastien Denys told reporters that “All regions were affected by an excess mortality from all causes, with the exception of Corsica,” and he said the Pays de la Loire region was the most affected with 236 excess deaths.
The estimate was based on death certificates traced back to Tuesday, August 18, and it covered about 80% of national mortality, according to Sébastien Denys’s explanation at a press conference.
The ministry and Public Health France also emphasized that the excess mortality cannot yet be reliably attributed to heat, while still pointing to a “strong signal” for deaths at home.
Franceinfo reported that Public Health France said people aged 75 and over make up three-quarters of the provisional tally with at least 917 excess deaths, and it said the number of heat-attributable deaths will only be known at the end of the summer period, around September-October.
Data basis and next steps
Public Health France said the provisional toll of heat-related deaths this year rises to 7,300 because the tally does not yet include all deaths recorded over the entire summer due to heat, and because a third wave has occurred since the end of July.
“death certificates up to yesterday's date (Tuesday, editor's note)”
In its explanation of how the estimate was built, tv5monde said the excess mortality figure was based on “death certificates up to yesterday's date (Tuesday, editor's note)” or about 80% of national mortality.
The same reporting said the July heat episode affected 78 departments, representing nearly 80% of the French population, and it listed Pays de la Loire (236 excess deaths) as the most affected region.
RFI said the estimate of excess mortality provided by Public Health France is based on death certificates received up to yesterday (Tuesday, editor’s note), covering about 80% of national mortality, compared with expected mortality for the period.
RFI also said a final tally will be published in October, as the provisional figures are gradually refined and the ongoing third heat wave since late July is not yet fully measurable.
