WHO warns of rising number of heat-related deaths in Europe

The World Health Organization (WHO) is warning of the health risks of extreme heat, as new temperature records continue to be set globally in the wake of the climate crisis and the persistent summer heat in southern Europe.

Europe is the fastest warming of the six WHO regions, WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge said in Copenhagen on Thursday. People in the 53 member states of the region are paying the highest price for this, he said.

Estimates show that there were around 489,000 heat-related deaths per year worldwide between 2000 and 2019, including an average of around 176,000 per year in Europe.

Over the past 20 years, heat-related mortality has increased by 30% Kluge said. The number of heat-related deaths has risen in almost all countries in the region where monitoring is taking place.

UN Secretary General António Guterres recently warned that the world would have to adjust to permanently changing temperatures in summer due to the climate crisis.

Kluge called for communities to be made more resilient to heatwaves by developing action plans and said the negative health consequences of high temperatures are largely avoidable with the right measures.

"If we are better prepared for a hotter Region, we will save many lives, both now and in the future," Kluge said.

He added there were also things individuals could do to help them adapt to hotter temperatures and advised people to avoid strenuous activities during the hottest times of the day, keep their own homes as cool as possible, drink water regularly, and generally look after themselves and others.