Nature Medicine: In 2024, more than 60,000 people in Europe died due to heat

According to a new study, more than 60,000 people died in Europe in the summer of 2024 due to extreme heat.
The results of the study were published in Nature Medicine.

Scientists from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) estimated that across 32 countries, covering about 539 million people, there were approximately 62,775 heat-related deaths. This is about 25% higher than in the summer of 2023, when around 50,798 such deaths were recorded. In 2022, according to revised data, the figure was slightly higher (~67,873). Thus, the summer of 2024 recorded the second-highest toll.

The researchers emphasize that it is difficult to determine the exact number of heat-related deaths, since official medical records often do not list heat as the direct cause. Nevertheless, heat affects health in many ways: it can worsen cardiovascular diseases, provoke strokes, and aggravate respiratory conditions.

As for the countries most affected, Italy recorded the highest absolute number of deaths — about 19,000 people. Next are Spain and Germany, each with more than 6,000 deaths. When measured by mortality per million population, the highest rates were in Greece, followed by Bulgaria and Serbia.

It is also noted that the cumulative toll over three summers (2022–2024) exceeds 181,000 deaths. At the same time, due to uncertainties, the estimated range for 2024 varies from about 35,000 to 85,000 deaths.

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