France’s public health agency reports 2,025 excess deaths during June heatwave

Santé publique France said its first national mortality bulletin on the late-June heatwave counted 2,025 excess deaths in the week of June 22-28, a 29.1% increase from the prior week.

The agency said 8,973 deaths were certified electronically during the week, compared with 6,948 the week before. It linked the increase to an exceptional heatwave that gripped France at the end of June.

Officials stressed that the figure is an early snapshot, not the final toll. The bulletin says electronic death certificates cover only about 60% of national mortality, and coverage is uneven by place of death.

First official snapshot

The July 3 bulletin is the first national mortality update from France’s public health agency focused on the June heat episode. It gives the clearest official read so far on how many deaths were recorded during the hottest stretch, but the agency says the count is incomplete.

Santé publique France said mortality analysis for a full week needs at least three weeks to become adequately complete. That means the tally can still rise materially as paper death certificates are added to the system.

Earlier preliminary estimates had pointed to about 1,000 excess deaths from only part of the heatwave period. The new bulletin more than doubles that first estimate, underscoring how quickly the picture changed once a fuller week of data was available.

Who was most affected

The bulletin says the increase was concentrated among people aged 45 and older, with people 65 and older accounting for the largest share of the excess deaths.

Deaths rose across all listed places of death. Home deaths increased 91%, or by 605 deaths. Deaths in EHPAD nursing homes rose 37%, or 402 deaths. Deaths in health-care facilities rose 19.7%, or 1,013 deaths.

The Paris region saw the sharpest regional rise in the bulletin’s breakdown, with deaths up 62.8%, or 619 deaths.

That pattern fits public-health warnings that extreme heat can hit older adults, people with chronic illness and people without effective cooling at home especially hard. The official data snapshot does not separate out all causes, but it shows where mortality rose most sharply during the heat episode.

Why the tally is incomplete

The agency said the electronic certification system captures only a partial share of national mortality. Its bulletin puts coverage at about 24.3% of home deaths, 45% of EHPAD deaths and roughly 79% to 80% of hospital deaths.

That means the early figures are useful for spotting a spike, but not for drawing a final national conclusion. Home deaths are especially underrepresented in the electronic system, and that matters here because the bulletin shows a large increase in deaths at home.

Santé publique France also said the heat-related mortality picture can lag the hottest days. In other words, deaths can occur after temperatures peak, so a same-week count can miss some of the eventual impact.

The bulletin points readers to regional canicule reports for more detail on the June 2026 heat episode. Those follow-up bulletins may refine the geographic and age breakdowns once more certificates are processed.

What comes next

Later updates from Santé publique France are expected to add more death certificates and produce a more complete national total. Regional bulletins may also adjust the Paris-heavy picture and help show how the heatwave affected different parts of the country.

French officials are also likely to face questions about preparedness, elderly protection and the risks of staying at home during extreme heat. The bulletin’s findings feed an ongoing public-health debate over how to reduce mortality in future heatwaves.

The episode has already drawn comparisons with France’s deadly 2003 heatwave, but Santé publique France says a direct comparison will take months, once mortality data are fully consolidated.

AP, The Guardian and Le Monde all reported the same 2,025 excess-death figure and the same 29.1% week-on-week increase, while emphasizing that the official tally is still partial. Le Monde said the final count is expected to be higher as the dataset fills out.