Heat waves are wreaking havoc in Spain, a country experiencing its third wave these days. According to the Ministry of Health, which itself holds it from the Carlos III Health Institute, the excess mortality due to the historic heat reached 2,124 people during the month of July.
With our correspondent in Madrid, Francois Musseau
These are not statistics per se, nor a number of victims recorded on a case-by-case basis. It is an estimate of excess mortality, including the number of expected or probable deaths linked to heat waves, during the month of July, the most murderous in recent decades.
By way of comparison, this excess mortality was 568 people last year at the same period and 581 people in 2020, which means almost triple the two previous years. And for health authorities, this is an extremely worrying sign of the impact of heat on human health.
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El medio nacional valor de las precipitations acumuladas desde el pasado 1 de octubre de 2021 hasta el 2 de agosto de 2022 cifra en 422 mm, lo que representa alrededor de un 26 % menos https://t.co/vRQSe6Hogt— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) August 4, 2022
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Unheard of since 1941
For this month of July, we note that 90% of these victims are over 70 years old, including a majority of people over 85 years old. We also note that there are more women than men. This second heat wave, in July, is the most intense and the longest since 1941.
As for the third heat wave, we will know next month its impact on health and mortality. Currently, 42 of Spain’s 50 provinces have been put on alert.